Truth Be Told
by Nells729
Summary: Ten months have passed since the famous Nighthowler case. Judy and Nick have become great partners and even greater friends. When Judy has the chance to take a vacation with a fox, where does the line between friendship end and the line to something more begin? Unspoken truths come to light when someone tries to tear them apart. (Sorry, I HATE summaries!)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This is the first time that I have written in years so be easy on me! I fell in love with this story and these characters the moment I saw the movie. I had to add my two little grains of sand.**

 **I do not own Zootopia or any of its characters.**

 **July 8th**

The Zootopia Foundation was having its annual 'Night in Blue Gala' on July 15th, in exactly one week. It was a chance for every officer from the surrounding 3 precincts to mingle with their fellow officers, important members of local charities, and heads of important businesses and organizations. It was as much a way to honor the officer's dedication to the city as it was a fundraiser for the Foundation. The event was free to the officers and their dates, but all other seats and table reservations cost a pretty penny, it was safe to assume that anyone who had a seat inside the hall was well off. Judy had had not been an officer long enough for her to actually attend one before but was told by everyone else that the event had always been one of the most elegant and regarded events of the city, and one of the most looked forward to affair for the precinct.

Rumor was that Chief Bogo had been caught "co-mingling" with a fellow officer in one of the restroom stalls fifteen or so years ago. No one around now had been on the force long enough to confirm or deny the rumors, so it remained just that...a rumor.

Judy had been looking forward to the occasion for several weeks, ever since the formal invitation had been delivered to her inbox at work. Due to hectic cases at work and recently moving into her new apartment (the new apartment which happened to be a few floors up from Nick's new digs), she had not had the time to actually think about finding a gown or a date for that matter. So, here it was, one short week until the gala and her wardrobe options were limited, at best. She could either wear a raggedy floral dress that she had last worn when she was 16 and forced to attend her high school spring formal, or she could wear her uniform. Neither would do. Without having any real friends in Zootopia or rather anyone whose opinion she trusted, she now found herself gown shopping the last few days with her faithful Cheetah, Clawhauser. She really did appreciate his eagerness to help but the enthusiastic 'oohs' and 'aaaah' and dramatic reactions to each and every dress that she tried on was not exactly helpful. She originally considered asking Nick to accompany her but a comment that he had made soon after receiving the 'Night in Blue' formal invitation made her decide against it. He had said something along the lines of "Why do women even care about their gowns, it's not like us males are noticing. We are too busy imagining what's underneath. I, for sure, wouldn't know one gown from the next." Definitely _not_ Nick. It might have been awkward anyways.

Flash forward to today, she currently stood at the Cheetah's desk waiting for him to finish his shift. He was busy in the records room, doing some last minute case filings under Bogo's direct orders. The plan for this evening was to visit their 3rd shop this week. She waited at the desk flipping through photos on her phone of countless gowns, in a variety of colors and styles. Nothing to date had been to her liking or within her price budget.

Officer Wilks told her about a new shop that had just opened a few months ago not too far from the station, so she had done some research online and was excited to check it out. The gowns were really pretty and the prices were reasonable. She had even saved a few photos of dresses on her phone that she wanted to look into and that is precisely what she was doing while waiting for Ben. Judy admitted to herself that although she didn't like to regularly get too dressed up, it was nice to have an elegant evening to look forward to. She did not have a date but was slowly liking the idea. She wouldn't have to worry about finding someone on the fly or feeling nervous about the evening. Plus, she had recently learned that some of her fellow female officers were going solo.

She was so occupied with her phone that she had not noticed a mammal hunched over her, looking over her shoulder and down at her phone. There, on her screen, was the one dress that Judy desperately wanted to see in person and try on. It was a bold red sleeveless floor length silk gown, simple in comparison to the others that she had seen in magazines and at the other shops. There was no sequence or fancy detail work on it all. It cost a little more than she had thought about spending, but it was beautiful and totally worth it. She was not a fan of tight or fitted dress and although this was snug, it had a cross bodice around the waist and hips that made it look flattering. She could see herself in something like that. She worried about the bold color, she preferred it in a softer shade, a purple or periwinkle even, but the red would do just fine if they had nothing else.

A familiar voice brought her out of her reverie, a voice that was mere millimeters away from her ears, close enough where she could feel the breath on the tops of them. "Ooh la la, Carrots. Who is your friend and when can I meet her?"

She jumped, startled at the sound of him so near to her. First, because the red fox had said goodbye to her half an hour earlier so she assumed that he was long gone and second, because he had mastered the art of sneaking up on her. _Sneaky fox_ , she thought. He now seemed amused, one arm resting on the side of the receptionist desk while the other motioned its way to her phone. She burrowed her brow and quickly moved her phone out of his arms reach. "Geez, Nick. You need to stop scaring me like that!"

"It is not my fault that you weren't paying attention to your surroundings. I've been standing next to you for over a minute, Fluff. As your partner and one whose life depends on your ability to have my back, it's a bit nerving." He said casually, now shifting his weight onto one leg while leaning on the other, still with one arm resting on the desk next to him.

She responded by completely turning to face him and giving him the evil eye.

"So, who is your fancy friend there?" He motioned to the phone in her hand with his eyes.

"She is not my friend, Nick. Just a picture I found online…" she said dryly as she clicked her phone off and placed it in her back pocket. He stared back at her quizzically. He made no comment but he was definitely intrigued.

She quickly caught his look. She let out a deliberate sigh. "No, I don't just have random pictures of strangers in my phone, Nick..." she pointedly looked at him. "It's just a dress that I want to try on, that's all."

Nick's eyes shot open and he smiled widely at her. "Va va voom, Fluff!" he teased. "What's the special occasion?"

"The gala, Nick. I have talked to you about finding a dress for the last week..." her voice trailed off and she sounded almost deflated when she immediately assumed that he had not been paying attention to her these last few days. "Never mind, forget it. It's nothing. Just a dumb dress that I want to look at." She glanced behind Nick and towards the hallway which led to the records room. Still no sign of the Cheetah.

Nick laughed out loud, "Seriously, Carrots? I was joking. I mean, how could I possibly forget when you have brought it up at least 30 times today? I think I have the itinerary memorized by heart now."

Judy quickly added without thinking, "Oh, and I added it to your phone's calendar"

"Exactly. How could I possibly forget?" He smiled down to her. His face which was normally plastered with a smirk, lopsided grin, or with the hint of mischief had disappeared. He smiled warmly at her. He continued, "But what I did not know was that you meant serious business with this dress stuff. You mentioned you wanted to buy a dress, but I had imagined some dress you could get off of a rack at the thrift store." As he spoke he had begun to fidget with the stapler which was atop of Clawhauser's desk.

Judy frowned. "The thrift store, Nick, really? Anyway, well, it's a formal gala so it goes without saying that everyone will wear formal wear, you know...gowns and tuxes..." She slowed and thought for a second before continuing, "You _do_ have a tux, Nick?"

The red fox stopped fidgeting with the stapler and met her stare. "Why would I have a tux? Having a tux would imply that I intend on going. Which I don't plan to." He shifted his weight again, and placed the hand that had been so occupied with the stapler, into his pocket.

Judy's eyes grew so large that Nick almost had to contain an audible laugh. "Nicholas P. Wilde, what do you mean you don't plan on going?" Her eyes then narrowed in on her target as she inched closer to him, a move he quickly recognized as when she was set on getting a confession from their detained criminals.

Nick tried his best to look unphased, even though her stance and serious face definitely had him wishing that he had left the precinct instead of waiting around to see what she was up to. He looked around, as if looking for a way out. There was none, it was just he and the grey bunny whose face seemed to get closer the longer he waited to respond. He decided to bite the bullet, "Look, Carrots. As much fun as I am sure that I would have with a bunch of rich snobs and fellow underpaid officers, I think I will pass. You know that I would have a horrible time so why bother?"

Judy's serious face relaxed and then she took a few steps back. That earned her a look of disbelief from the fox, as he had been fully expecting to be punched in the arm, at the least. Judy nodded and smiled at him which had Nick even further confused. She finally added "Ok, Nick. Fine, don't go. I am sure you're better off staying home." She then turned from him and with her back turned, began walking away towards the hallway, speaking over her shoulder as she walked, "I have to go Nick, I have to look for Ben because it's getting late and I want to find that dress. See you tomorrow, partner!" She finished as cheerfully as she could. Nick only looked after her, confused as ever.

The second Judy had turned to walk away, she smiled to herself. She knew him better than he knew himself sometimes. Sure, she had expected him to make jokes about renting an outlandish tux and even expected a little bit of resistance, but for him to say that he wasn't going? That was not a thought that had crossed her mind. She hesitated for one brief moment but then remembered her strategy: reverse psychology. Worked every single time with Nick and he was oblivious to it. She had done it so many times to him, she was ashamed to admit but she felt that the means justify the results. When she wanted him to get his driver's license and he was adamant that he didn't need one, she agreed and even told him that he wouldn't pass the test anyway so it didn't matter. After that little conversation, it took all of one week before he had license in hand. How long had it been for him to agree that it was a good idea for them to live in the same apartment building? She thought about it. Two days and three conversations. "Oh, you're right, Nick. I would hate your apartment building anyways. I mean, could you imagine? Us...in the same building? I would end up moving out in a week, I think. We just aren't cut out to be neighbors and partners." A few more comments _against_ the idea and that was it. She was signing her lease and he was helping move her in by the end of that week.

So, as she walked away from a flabbergasted Nick, she again smiled to herself. She mentally began counting the seconds before he would come after her. _Seven, eight, nine, ten..._

"Hey Carrots!" she heard called from behind. She smiled and mentally gave herself a high five. She quickly erased any giddiness from her face, and turned to face him, "Yeah, what's up Nick?" She surprised herself at how manipulative she could be. Well, she had learned from him after all, so she shouldn't be surprised.

Nick had picked up his pace into a light skip to catch up with her as she walked away. Once they were within feet of each other he began, "Hey Carrots. So, you're cool with me _not going_? It's not a big deal to you?" He asked without first mulling over his questions in his head, and very unlike him. He quickly reassessed and followed with, "I mean, you _have_ been talking about this nonstop so I am just glad that we are finally in agreement that I shouldn't go." He flashed his characteristic lop sided grin.

Judy stared blankly back at him. _What were we even talking about?_ His charming self had begun to have a way of making her flushed, even more so when that face of his was so close to her. Nick continued to grin at her while she fumbled for words. "Oh, well, I, um…sure…. I guess if you don't want to go, I can't make you, right? You're not easily persuaded so why waste my time?" Towards the latter part of her sentence, she found her brain again and was able to focus on their conversation.

She saw something flicker in his eyes for a fraction of a millisecond. It was fleeting but she definitely saw something there. "Yeah, you are right. When I make up my mind, there's no changing it. These fancy shmancy affairs, they're just not for me. They are meant for socializing and networking. I would rather not socialize if I can help it and I am sure that people would much rather not socialize with me." As he finished, Judy almost sensed that this was a question rather than a statement.

"Yeah, well, there's that. You wouldn't have fun. You're better off staying at home. I am glad that we finally agree on something," she chuckled. "And hey, I am sure that I can find someone else to hang out with, I hear that all of Precinct 2 will be there!" She quipped cheerfully. Too cheerfully she thought.

The fox stood in place, his mind clearly contemplating something. He was about to open his mouth when Ben sheepishly walked out to the lobby where the partners were and shrugged his shoulders. He waited until he was in hearing distance then immediately began to apologize to Judy, "O.M. Goodness, Judy, I am _so_ sorry but I can't come with you tonight to try out even more _beautiful_ dresses. Bogo just told me that I filed this weeks' and last weeks' reports wrong. It's either stay tonight or stay during my lunch break for the rest of the week. I am sorry but I just can't. _Not lunch_." He shook his head emphatically to stress his point.

He turned to Nick, as if realizing for the first time that he was there. His face lit up and he brought his hands to his chin, exclaiming "Oh, Nick! You are here! You have to help Judy find her gown! You know her more than I do so you know what flatters her perfect little body." He smiled back and forth between the two partners, not noticing that both flinched at his choice of words. They stared back at him for a second, then both began at the same time, "NO!" Their words startled one another and they stared a brief second.

Nick was the first to recover. He looked at Judy then to Ben then back to Judy again. "As much as I would love to see our dear Officer Hopps try on several gowns on that _perfect little body of hers_ " he paused for dramatic effect and even had the audacity to wink at Judy. She blushed then looked away, not able to look him in the eye. Something about his teasing was getting to her lately and she did not like it at all. Nick continued, "Believe me, I would _love_ to help but I am just not the right person for the job. I don't know anything about fancy gowns. Perfect little bodies? Yes, that but that's about it." He again looked at Judy, who refused to look him in the eye. Her focus remained steadfast on Ben, trying to telepathically _will_ him into changing his mind and accompanying her after all. She could deal with his obnoxious reactions and could even sit through the mini photo sessions that seemed to occur when she tried on every dress, anything to avoid having Nick's company thrown at her.

Ben didn't notice her staring at him. He was focused in all of his joyful glory on the fox standing next to him. "Nick, you are perfect. You guys are basically a couple with as much time that you guys spend together. You even live together now, right?" He slowed but didn't wait for a response before he continued, "So, Nick just help her pick out something that will make her as beautiful as we both know that she is. Honestly, we both know that she will look stunning in whatever she puts on but we need her to look absolutely breathtaking. She is the only chance of Precinct 1 making an appearance on the jumbotron." He mumbled that last part.

Judy nervously raised her head to see what Nick's reaction had been. He was busy looking around the room, with the gears in his head clearly turning full speed. She smiled knowing that it was killing him to be forced to go with her. Then she stopped smiling, realizing that she did not want him to come either. It hadn't been awkward with Ben but trying on gowns with Nick? That just seemed a bit too personal for them. Sure, they were good friends, and she could even venture to say that he had become her best friend but there was still that invisible line in the sand that Nick had drawn. She always tried to convince herself that she was avoiding that line for his sake and his sake alone. The truth was so much complicated than that. She had only recently began to understand that the line was as much a barrier for Nick as protection for herself. Protection from "feeling things" for him, boy was that not working. They spent an extraordinary amount of time together but somehow it was easy to blame Nick for them not making that final move towards the official best friend status, or something _more_. This, trying on dresses with him, just seemed like they were moving closer towards that imaginary line.

She looked again to Nick, he looked cool and calm. She had seen that face dozens of times before. It was the mask he put on for the outside world when he was trying like hell to hide his emotions.

She saw him relax and then his face dropped into that silly smirk of his. He then looked to Judy and said to Ben, "Might as well help this bunny out. If I don't, who will? She might just end up embarrassing the precinct. Like you said, she might be our only chance at getting up on the jumbotron."

Judy immediately reacted, "Oh no, Nick. You don't have to. Really. It's not important and I can go by myself. Thanks, Nick really but I can go alone." She had begun to speak rapidly, hoping that somehow he would get the drift. Of course Nick would do just the opposite.

"Why, Carrots, it would be an honor to help you find a dress to put on that _perfect little body of yours_. You wouldn't feel uncomfortable spending time with your handsome bud, your partner would you?" He hunched down so that his face was level with hers. He was having way too much fun with this. "Come on, Fluff. It's getting late and we have a dress to find!"

Ben giggled as he hugged Judy goodbye without even waiting for her to respond to Nick. He waved at the pair as he retreated to the filing room.

Judy weighed her options. She could just go ahead and get this over with or postpone this for another day. She was leaning towards the latter until she remembered that the event was only one week away. If she did end up finding a dress, she might need to get it altered and that could take a few days. She was cutting it close as it was. She looked up, defeated, at Nick who remained close to her with that smile plastered on his face.

"Okay, Nick. Let's go. I really need to get this done today..." she marched ahead of him as they left the precinct and towards the car.

They made it to the car in silence and Judy had expected the silence to continue a little bit longer when he spoke up, "So, are all of the guys of Precinct 2 supposed to be at this event?" He looked to the sky as he said it and if she had not been keenly aware of the silence between the two, she might have just missed it. "...and anyway, I hear that they are having an open bar. I might as well just check it out and enjoy the free drinks. That and I need to keep an eye on you, Hopps. Wouldn't want you making a scene and giving Precinct 1 a bad name..." She grinned widely at him as she mentally gave herself another high five, the second of the night. That almost seemed too easy, even for her.

It made her happier than she would like to admit that the reason behind his swift and sudden change of heart had something to do with her being admired by the officers of Precinct 2. He very well had heard of their reputation of being the most attractive officers of all of the precincts, and for the most part they were all single and readily available to charm any and every female that came their way.


	2. Chapter 2

**So, this was supposed to have gone up with the first chapter. My apologies! I intend on updating this story every 7 days or so. Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment!**

Nick slowly pulled into the parking lot of the quaint building and Judy inhaled deeply. She had taken one look at the dresses in the window and was already in love. These were not the same sort of gowns that she had seen in the other shops, no, these were gorgeous. Beyond gorgeous, these were breathtaking. She allowed herself to get excited about trying these on. She almost forgot that Nick was next to her.

She had not noticed at first but eventually felt the presence of his eyes on her, so she turned to him. She felt slightly embarrassed, shrugged her shoulders and apologized, "Look, Nick. I grew up on a farm, okay. I never had a reason for dressing up beyond a spring dress for events. Truth be told, I have never _in my life_ owned something so formal as this. I might not be girliest of girls..." she rolled her eyes at his 'you-don't-say' look, before she started again, "I may not be the girliest of girls but every girl has dreams of dressing up in something half as beautiful as these..." Her eyes left his gaze and looked towards the window again. So, she said slightly more confident than before, "So, don't ruin this for me, fox. I may not ever have the chance to look this fancy again!"

With that, she got out of the car, turned on her heels and walked toward the door. If she had looked back at him for one second before walking away, she would have seen the smug face turn into something more like understanding and respect. He eventually followed her.

* * *

"You know, Carrots, I have tons of curtains back at my place. I am sure I could whip something up real quick. Maybe not quite this fancy, but pretty close!" he yelled from his chair, across the room at the dressing room where Judy was.

Judy was having trouble getting the first dress situated, "Ha ha ha so funny, Wilde. Did you come up with that on your own?" she retorted. She tried twisting the dress to the side so that she could zip it up from the front then turn it around. The fabric was such that once it was zipped, she could not possibly turn it without tearing the lace that was on the top. She huffed angrily. With Ben, it had not been a problem walking out half dressed to have him help zip her up. Sure he possibly bruised her back in the process, as it was not that easy for such large hands to be so delicate. Regardless, him seeing her in the state of undress had not even fazed her. She looked at her reflection, satisfied with how this first dress looked on her but not loving it. Still, it needed to be zipped up so that she could get the full picture.

"Hey Nick, I need your help" she tried to say as casually as possible from the other side of the dressing room door. She closed her eyes, almost flinching in embarrassment as she unlocked the door to step out into the waiting area, where Nick sat playing on his phone.

She timidly walked out, her ears down and her arms holding up the top of the dress against her chest. Sure, she had on a bra and it wasn't like he hadn't seen her change in the locker room before. This seemed so different, so personal.

She stood in front of him a long ten seconds before he reacted. He had kept his eyes on her, looking her up and down with his mouth slightly agape. Something about the reaction made Judy's stomach do somersaults. Had she just made him speechless? Had she actually made him nervous for once? "Nick? please?" she said as tried to shake the feeling She turned her back toward him, giving him room to zip her up, holding the dress up much closer to her bosom than before.

They stood in front of the full length mirror so she saw him hesitate before closing the gap between them. He clumsily took the zipper in one hand and pulled up, his other hand unconsciously following the path of the zipper up along Judy's spine. His fingers occasionally grazed her bare back and made her shudder. She hoped that he hadn't noticed.

As he finished, he stood awkwardly behind her, unsure if that was all that he needed to do. She turned around to face him and whispered 'Thank you, Nick' before turning back around to face the mirror. He slowly stepped a few steps back to give her space. This first dress had been one of the many dresses that she had wanted to try on from the website. It was a sleeveless black, silk mermaid gown with lace trim. It was nice but Judy had not fallen in love with it.

She turned to face Nick again and ruffled the dress out playfully. "So, what do you think about this one?"

"As your friend, I am required to say that it looks good on you. As your partner, I am required that it makes you look nice. As a guy, I am required to say that you look hot." he laughed at Judy's furrowed brow. "What? Isn't that what I am here for? My honest opinion?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Nick, quit messing around. I like it but it just doesn't feel...me. It's elegant, classy, but I'm not feeling it." She faced her own reflection again and disappointingly shrugged.

"You realize that you said that elegant and classy was not 'you'...your words, not mine, Carrots" he quipped.

"That's not what I meant, Wilde" she chuckled, motioning to him so that he could help her out of the gown. She stood a moment and realized that he was just standing there, not doing anything. "The zipper, Wilde?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I've never had someone so delicately ask me to unzip their dress before. It's usually a bit more...hurried." She could not see his face but she could guarantee that he a cocky smirk on.

"Don't get used to it, Wilde. But at the speed we are going," looking towards the clock on the wall, "I will be begging you to hurry up and undress me in no time!" The words left her mouth before she could stop them. What was supposed to be a funny joke ended up sounding not very funny and instead _very flirty_. She sighed but decided just to leave it alone.

Nick leaned in and whispered seductively into her ear, "I'm going to hold you that, Carrots." He laughed almost as soon as the words were out. "Fluff, lighten up will you? I'm messing with you. Now, hurry up. We don't have all night!" He jokingly kicked her butt to move her into the dressing room.

She obediently returned to the dressing room and cursed herself for being so nervous around him tonight. After all, they were friends, right? Nick clearly wasn't as nervous as she was, so yes, she needed to lighten up. Plus, there were still several more dresses to try on.

Almost an hour and a half and several gowns later, Judy was feeling desperate. She had been sure to find "it" here but that hope was fading. She just had that gut feeling but rack after rack and nothing. The elderly clerk, a black sheep named Debbie, had been helping them throughout the evening had already given Judy the bad news that the dress that she wanted was no longer available. They only had one sample dress that was similar to the one that she wanted but it hung just a bit lower, revealing slightly a bit more cleavage. The body of the dress was a bit more form fitting as well and to her dismay, the color was in a deep brown, as it was only a sample dress. She could order the color that she wanted but it would have to be on special order and with expedited delivery. Deep brown? How could she try it on and even remotely imagine what it should look like in a red or deep blue?

Nick had been close to Judy and the clerk during this conversation, he slowly walked over to them and tugged on Judy's elbow, causing her to look over at him. "Look, Judy, if you really wanted the other dress, I say hold off and try to find it somewhere else. But, for what it's worth, I happen to like this new dress and I would love to see how it looks on you. But whatever..." he quickly added and then walked back his chair in front of the dressing room.

Judy looked at him as he walked away, slightly confused. The clerk smiled gently at her and nudged her a little, "You heard him, he wants to see how beautiful his girlfriend looks in this one." Judy looked shocked at the assumption that she and Nick were a couple but for reasons that she could not quite understand, she said nothing to clarify. She simply smiled and walked back to the dressing room. She looked down at Nick as she passed him, but he was busy flipping through his phone.

The very second that the fabric slipped over her body, she knew. This was it. Nick was right, this dress was absolutely breathtaking. How it hugged her curves in just the right way, how the very minimal bead work on the front shimmered and made her chest a focal point. She even felt herself standing taller and straighter. She was not a fan of the color but the dress was perfection. Her smile radiated over her face as she once again pressed the front part of the dress to walk out to meet Nick.

After that first dress hours ago, Nick had not given any real indication of his preference for this dress or that. He was just as bad as Ben, with the exception being in that Ben had called her lovely or perfect for each and every dress, Nick had told her that she was "hot" and "damn sexy" in every dress. She knew that he was saying this to get her riled up and angry, she didn't let it get to her. She simply rolled her eyes.

She confidently walked out of that dressing room and allowed herself to stand just a little bit longer in front of Nick. He didn't disappoint. His jaw dropped, literally. His eyes traveled up and down every inch of her body and she loved it. After what seemed like an eternity, she turned around and allowed Nick to zip her up. She noted that his hands were a little bit clammier than before. She mentally chalked this up to it being slightly warmer in the room than before. He seemed to take slightly longer running the length of the zipper up her spine. She shuddered again just as the first time but this time she was certain that he felt it. The second that her body shivered, he paused. He resumed a moment later but she was certain that he had noticed. She felt herself blush.

As many times before, she turned slightly towards him and thanked him. He did not reply, just nodded. She turned towards the mirror while Nick remained a statue behind her. She could see him standing behind her, he seemed in a different world. "What do you think, Nick? I want an honest answer" she demanded.

Nick remained quiet for a moment until finally opening his mouth, only to shut it once more. Judy saw this as a bad sign and immediately her confidence was out of the window. She loved the gown but she couldn't imagine buying it if Nick didn't like it.

"You look absolutely beautiful, Judy. Stunning, breathtaking, did I say beautiful?" he said after a short while. Judy could hear the nervousness in his voice. His carefree grin had once again graced his handsome face, which made Judy relax. "I think you found the dress you were looking for, am I right?"

Judy nodded her response. She smiled at his reflection which continued fixed behind her. Without her having to ask, he slowly began to unzip the dress, never once leaving her gaze in the reflection.

That was it, the moment that line in the sand that Judy had guarded for so long, was blowing away in the breeze, or rather in their gaze. Whether she read too much into his look or it was wishful thinking, there was definitely something brewing inside of her for the fox, her friend, her partner, her neighbor.

It wasn't until after they left and she was alone in her apartment that she realized that he addressed her as Judy, not Carrots or Fluff or Hopps, but Judy. That alone made the compliment that much more meaningful.

* * *

 **July 15th**

The night of the gala arrived in a blink of an eye. Judy stood in her room, eyeing her reflection in the mirror. She smiled at how everything had come together perfectly that week. As she left the shop with Nick the week before, she ordered her desired dress but in a blood red. She was not too convinced of the color but figured that it would be better than the other options that were immediately available. Not more than half an hour after she had made it home, she received a phone call from Debbie, the shop clerk, letting her know that she had just found one dress in a periwinkle color if she was interested. She disclosed that it was one size too big for Judy but that she could tailor it within a day's time. Judy was ecstatic.

She happily went the following day to be measured and tucked. Debbie had even surprised her with the news that she had been in touch with a local jewelry store and that they had loaned a few of their signature pieces for her to wear the evening of the gala. Judy was overcome with sentiment and hugged the black sheep tightly, making sure not to hug too tightly for fear that the pins which where strategically placed above her chest would prick her or Debbie. The elderly sheep simply smiled graciously and said, "Well, it's the least that I can do for Zootopia's very own Officer Judy Hopps. Besides, I can't wait to see pictures! I know you are going to knock that boyfriend of yours off of his feet, young lady!"

Judy nervously giggled and still did not correct her. What harm would it do for this little old sheep to think that she and Nick were together? It wouldn't.

"The necklace!" Judy exclaimed, bringing her thoughts back to the present. She walked over to her vanity and glanced at the elegant and timeless pieces of jewelry which she was so lucky to wear tonight. She sighed at her luck. She delicately picked up the glimmering bracelet and slid it onto her paw. It was a stylish platinum band with a series of alternating diamond and amethyst stones. The color of the gemstones complimented the color of her dress.

Next, she directed her eyes towards the beautiful necklace which was extended delicately over her vanity. It was an oval shape necklace with links of diamonds that ended with amethysts at each point. It was perfect. Just as she reached for it, she heard the doorbell. _Nick_ , she thought.

They had not once discussed the logistics of getting to the Concert Hall but each had assumed that they would ride together. Judy had casually mentioned that morning that she would be leaving her home at about 5:00 pm, so it was only natural for him to be knocking at her door at 5:20pm. She smiled at his predictability.

"It's open, Nick!" she yelled from across her room. She wondered if he could hear her through two walls. "It's open!" she repeated a bit louder. At that, she heard the front door open then shut.

She struggled to get the clasp shut on the strands of diamond and amethyst which were hugging her neck. She mumbled under her breath and tried to wiggle the clasp into place. She was stunned when she felt a warm paw on top of hers. _Sneaky fox_ , she had not heard him slip into the room. She allowed her arms to fall to her sides and focused on her breathing. She had not intended on it, but his touch had her heart racing, she just hoped that it wasn't noticeable to him. She stood still, head slightly down leaving her bare neck and back vulnerable to him. It took all of about 4 seconds but it had felt like an eternity with him so close to her. She could feel his shallow breath against the fur of her ears, which had drooped to her shoulders.

 _I can't feel like this, not for him_ , she thought. She mustered the courage that she could find and turned to face him, smile wide on her face.

Standing in front of her was Nick Wilde, fox extraordinaire. But no, this wasn't regular, every day Nick. This was something straight out of a GQ magazine-Nick Wilde. He was dressed to kill and she could die a happy woman tonight, she thought to herself. He had picked the tuxedo himself, claiming that she would only slow the process down. Unlike Judy, he had not needed to try on a litany of outfits, he knew what he wanted and gotten it. Honestly, anything probably would have looked amazing on him. He had picked out a slim fit, charcoal grey three-piece tuxedo. His tie was a darker shade of grey with white and lavender pin stripes. She couldn't help it but her eyes looked him up and down, twice. It was too late, before she could stop herself, she heard herself almost groan, "Damn." _Sweet cheese and crackers_. Embarrassed, she glanced up to Nick who seemed to be lost in thought.

"Ahh, Carrots...Judy...you...wow." He finished by running a paw over his head nervously. He clearly had not heard or even noticed Judy's similar reaction to seeing him. She was instantly relieved. Then she was shy. His eyes had not stopped tracing her figure under the silhouette of her dress. Granted, the dress hugged every part of her body in exactly the right spot.

He seemed to recollect that he was gawking and recovered, "Judy, you clean up pretty nicely." His face smirked but the truth was in his eyes, they shimmered with tenderness and bright delight.

Judy had enough time to recover herself, first from the handsome fox in front of her and then from his reaction to her. "You don't look too bad yourself, July" she smiled mischievously.

She seemed to have caught him off guard. "July?" he raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"You know, as in the month of July, the hottest month of the year, Wilde. You clearly look like you walked right out of the 'Bad Boys in Blue' monthly calendar the way you look tonight!" She laughed at him and punched him in the arm.

Nick's cool and calm demeanor changed and he looked a bit shy for a minute. It didn't take long for him to recover. "Carrots, my my my, once again the truth comes out. You find me irresistibly handsome, sexy even. If you want me, just ask, honey. And just so you know, you will always have first dibs. Just say the words rabbit and consider it done, full access to the Wilde Machine" he teased inching towards here while motioning his right paw over his chest.

Judy blushed but maintained the teasing, "Wilde Machine? Ugh. Get over yourself, Wilde. I admit, you do look quite handsome tonight." She rolled her eyes in mock surrender. "Being handsome doesn't always cut it in my book. You have to be much more than a pretty face and a nice body." She couldn't help it, she allowed her eyes to wander over his body in that grey tuxedo. She kept her composure though and finished with a raised eyebrow and a playful tap on his nose with her paw. She rested her other paw on her hip.

Before he could respond, loud beeping came from the corner of her room which startled them both. Judy's eyes darted to the digits of her alarm clock blaring 5:35pm. "Cheese and crackers, Nick! Look at how late it is! I haven't even finished getting ready!" She mindlessly began fumbling for her makeup bag, picking out items which she had not looked at or even touched in months.

Nick appeared to finally snap out of the daze in which he had been in since Judy had invaded his personal space and tapped him on the nose. She had been a mere centimeters from his face and he had gotten lost in those playful and fiery eyes. He blinked rapidly as if to wake up, looked to Judy and said, "What do you mean that you're not ready? You look ready to me." He casually said.

Judy only huffed. He tried again, "Carrots, you have your gown on, which by the way, wow!" He took a step back, as if to appreciate the full view and even inhaled and exhaled deeply. "I, mean, that color is perfect. I thought that you had decided on red? Anyways, you have your gown on and shoes? Yes, you have those on. Jewelry? Yes, you have that. Where did you get that?" It finally dawned on him that she was wearing jewelry, actual expensive jewelry.

Judy stopped what she was doing and looked up at him nervously, "It's all on loan, actually. Debbie, the sheep at the shop, she was kind enough to get these to match the gown, which happened to be last one in stock in this color…" she finished timidly and dared to look at Nick in his eyes. The previous teasing banter back and forth, gone. Replaced with shyness and honesty. She hadn't meant to but she actually took her paws to her sides and fluffed the gown at the bottom then did a turn so that he could see the whole thing. "Do you like it? Or is it…"

"It's perfect. It's beyond perfect. That dress, that color….You look beautiful and gorgeous and elegant and lovely and.." He interjected without allowing her to finish her sentence. Once again, his truth was in his eyes. He was smiling at her with both his mouth and his eyes. He stopped, only to finish with "Judy, you look perfect because you are perfect."

Judy lunged at him forcing him into an awkward hug, his arms held at his side by her strong embrace. He looked down at her somewhat surprised but not at all disappointed. "Hey, Carrots, how about we get out of here before they run out of the free drinks?"

Judy released him, slightly awkwardly. Her emotions were about to run away from her, in the form of wet droplets forming at the edge of her eyes. "Thanks, Nick. Really, thanks. But, I wanted to at least put some makeup on?"

"Nope, none of that. Like I said, perfect." He smiled warmly at her while offering his arm to her.

She lifted her head proudly and linked her arm into his. Only to let go and grab a tube of lip gloss which was on her bed. "What? This isn't makeup." She laughed at him she once again linked her arm in his.

* * *

They left her apartment and walked out to the fresh evening air. The sun was beginning to set so the light yellow glow reflected off of every surface and building around them. They walked arm in arm to the parking garage where Nick proudly took out his set of keys, pushing the 'start' button to his sleek, black, brand new Jeep. It was not the fanciest of cars, but it was his car. Something that he had purchased after many months of excellent work at the precinct. He looked to Judy with a raised eyebrow, that face transforming into his classic smirk. "Not too shabby, huh Carrots? I know, I know, handsome fox in a handsome car, it's too much for you, isn't it?" He laughed down at her.

"So, does that mean I should be in a perfect car? Me being perfect and all…" Judy snorted and punched him in the arm.

Nick brought his paw to caress his injured arm and then placed it over his heart. "You wound me with your words. I just hope that she didn't hear you…" he glanced over to his car and gently patted it in mock comfort. He leaned close and whispered, "It's ok, she doesn't mean it. She is just jealous, that's all." He looked back to Judy who stood with both arms crossed over her chest, foot thumping rapidly on the floor beneath her.

"You know that if it wasn't for me, Wilde, your precious little car would be still at the dealership?" she asked as Nick was opening the door for her to get in. She slid into the seat, tucking in her gown into the seat below her feet with Nick's help. He delicately closed the door so none of the garment would accidentally be caught. He walked around the front of the car and it gave Judy a moment to admire him without him seeing her. He looked absolutely sexy, she admitted. She had always found him handsome, even from the first moment that she laid eyes on him. As she had gotten to know him better, his charm and wit made him that much more handsome. But this Nick tonight, this Nick was beyond handsome and downright sexy.

Nick rounded the corner in front of her, lightly tapping the hood of the Jeep in a move that Judy only smiled at. "What do you mean, if it wasn't for you?" He asked as soon as he had opened the door and slid into the seat.

"What are you legally required to have in order to purchase a car? Hmm?" She smiled coyly at him while reaching behind her to put on her seat belt.

"Ohhh…so you want credit for that? Ok, I admit it, I need a little bit of encouragement to get my license. There, Fluff, are you happy? Or do you want a Thank You as well? Ok, thank you." he rolled his eyes at his partner.

"You're welcome."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N. Sorry guys, this one's a long one but I just had so much to cram in. I don't anticipate Chapter 4 going up before next Wednesday so I apologize in advance. Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a comment.**

Nick stood next to the open car door, his paw extended. Judy delicately accepted it and wiggled her way out of the vehicle rather clumsily, clearly not accustomed to either heels or long gowns. Nick, ever the gentleman, pretended not to notice.

Once out, they each stood, arms linked together at the base of the wide staircase leading up to the grand main entrance of Zootopia's Concert Hall. It was at this same hall that ten months previous, Judy and Nick had seen Gazelle perform live following their solving of the Nighthowler case. That seemed so long ago and their circumstances were so completely different. Ten months ago, they entered the concert hall as renewed friends, one a rookie cop who had proved her worth by solving one of, if not the biggest case that Zootopia had seen, and the other, a recently reformed conman on the eve of setting off for a grueling four month police training program. Their partnership was just beginning to be built on trust and true friendship. Fast forward ten months, Judy now a relatively seasoned officer and near celebrity and Nick, a rookie whose wit, charm and most importantly loyalty had placed him among the most respected and cared for officers of Precinct 1. Their partnership had long been solidified and now it was on the verge of transcending beyond that of friend and coworkers. _Well, at least that's what it feels like sometimes,_ thought Judy.

Nick took the first step towards the entrance when Judy gently squeezed his arm in an effort to stop him. He turned back to her, slightly confused. Judy wanted to soak in the monent just a bit longer. She said nothing but Judy looked up in awe of the sheer size and magnificence of the building, one of oldest in the city. Nick understood and he allowed Judy a moment to admire the beauty of it all. This building had been originally used as the sole government building, housing everything from the courthouse to the first police headquarters. As the city grew, so also did the need to expand each individual branch. Now, many decades and decades later, it hosted most large gatherings, events, and concerts in the city. On most nights, it usually stood stoic with the warm soft glow of the yellow lights surrounding its every corner. Tonight though was not just any night. No, tonight the structure dawned a blue glow with the help of bright blue lights aimed at the wide staircase entrance and with combinations of small and large blue ribbons circling each lamppost and grand column of the large building. It _looks so beautiful,_ Judy thought as she smiled upwardly to Nick.

Nick had also paused with Judy to reflect on the beauty of the night, the building, and more keenly on the mammal at his side. When Judy's eyes met his, he returned her smile with one just as sincere.

Not more than two mintutes later, they shared a glance followed by a nod of the head. Unspoken agreement to make their entrance.

Once inside, they were met with a large, brightly lit open space which was being used as a lounge for guests to socialize before going down into the more formal event space. This big opening led to a slightly narrower hallway of several double doors on each side, which appeared to be for smaller events or conferences. At the very end of this long and curvy hallway was the entrance to the main Concert Hall. Judy looked in awe of how elegant and so very different the place looked from the only other time that she had been here. There were no large posters of Gazelle covering evey inch of wall space. Instead, she was able to appreciate the real grandeur of the place. There was another staircase almost identical to the one outside, leading down thirty or so steps into what was set up as the formal dining area. Judy looked down into the sea of tuxedos and shimmering gowns. She very quickly distinguished the tables set up for each of the precincts towards the front and center of the floor and the business people and "VIP" attendees located towards the back. Most of the officers had already arrived and were either sitting in their respective precinct tables or huddled by the drink bars located along the far corners of each wall.

Judy looked down at her attire and counted her blessings. She had been extremely lucky with finding her perfect dress and even though she had not found a date, here she stood before every officer and business person of Zootopia next to the only mammal she could fathom standing next to, her fox, her Nick. Judy's stomach did somersaults again or was that butterflies? She sighed heavily. _Food for thought for another_ time, she instead tried to focus on the evening before her.

Just as they were about to turn the corner and descend to the floor below, a familiar voice shouted from behind them. "Oh My Goodness! Look at you two! I can't even!" Clawhauser hurriedly shuffled his way over to where they stood, openly eyeing both of them wide with excitement. "There we have it folks, the most beautiful couple ever!"

Judy and Nick looked at each other in denial. Judy quickly responded, "Nope, Ben. Not a couple."

Ben's excitement didn't quell but he did eye her curiously. "But you are each other's dates?"

Nick feigned disinterest and appeared to be looking over the bunny's shoulder and into the gathering of mammals below them.

Judy was flustered and it showed. "No, Ben. We are not each other's dates."

Ben shrugged as if not understanding but continued, "But, let me guess, Nick picked you up?"

"Yes" judy answered suspiciously.

"So you rode here together?" Ben raised an eyebrow to Nick who had not noticed.

"Yes" answered Judy, her eyes also darted to Nick, as if for backup.

"And you plan on sitting next to each other at the table?"

"Um, probably, yes."

"And you just happened to be wearing the same colors?" Ben asked pointedly. At this, Nick's eyes shot back to Judy, waiting for her to respond.

Judy nervously fidgeted with a bead of her dress, until realizing that she could possibly damage it, then shook her head in fervent disagreement. "Well, we came together, but not came _came_ together. Not like that! And the colors? A coincidence, really. Nick didn't even know what color I was wearing until just now, right?" She pleadingly asked her partner.

He responded by shooting her a look. She knew that look, it was his 'I'm going to lay on the sarcasm on _real_ thick' look.

"Look here," he motioned for the big cheetah to lean in as if he was about to tell him a big secret. The cheetah lowered his head to be closer to Nick's eye level and grinned widely. "Bennie, the way I see it, if it sounds like a duck, smells like a duck, acts like a duck… you get me?" He grinned at Judy.

She could only cover her face with her paws and sigh in utter embarrassment. Ben's face lit up even more so than before. "I knew it, I just knew it! You sly thing, you." Looking directly at judy "He's rubbing off on you, isn't he?"

Nick quickly spoke again, with a sense of serious secrecy, "This isn't a date though. We are friends who want to try something new. Could end just there or could lead to something between the sheets, you know, normal stuff. So, don't go shouting the news on the intercom just yet, this stays here, between friends. Besides, who knows, I just might find someone here tonight that is willing to…"

"Nick!" Judy shouted.

Ben looked around and nodded his head, "Oh, ok. I get it. Your secret's safe with me. Oh, and thank you, thank you, thank you! The way that you two look tonight, Precinct 1 will finally make it to the jumbotron!" He squealed before retreating to the restroom.

Immediately, Judy pounced. She shoved him harder than expected, which made Nick yelp. "What the heck, Nick? Might lead to something between the sheets? What in the world were you thinking?"

Nick hesitated for a brief second. "What? The big guy knows I was only joking! Come on, Fluff, it's not a big deal." Nick said as casually as he could, purposely avoiding eye contact.

"Not a big deal? How does 'could lead to something between the sheets' make _me_ sound? Like one of your stupid play toys! Then to hush it up like you needed to keep your options open. Ugh, Nick. I get it, it was a joke. Next time, just don't make such a crude joke at my expense. Now what happens when he sees me talking to the boys at Precinct 2? He will think I'm just Ms. Loosy Goosy…no offense to Ms. Goosey. Ugh…" She huffed and turned away from Nick.

It took him a minute to realize how he could have overstepped. "What?! I didn't imply you were my play thing! How did you even get that idea? He knows I was just joking!"

Judy turned her eyes back to his and disappointedly said "Does he know you were joking? No, no he does not..."

"I am sorry. Scout's honor, I'll make sure to clarify with Bennie that I meant it as a joke. We clearly are just friends and nothing more." He placed both his hands in his pockets and looked out to the crowd below. She could tell he was sorry but didn't know why it bothered her so much that he would make a joke about…whatever they had going on. It didn't feel like a joke to her. Judy looked at his sorry expression and decided that she was overreacting. This _was_ Nick afterall. The same Nick who had tried to claim that she was his sister to get a family discount on their phone plans. Overreacting, she reassured herself.

Nick's ears perked as he remembered something. "What did you mean about talking to the boys of Precinct 2? Are you already cheating on me in this imaginary friend/more than friend relationship?"

"Ahh…Nick. Did I hurt your wittle feewings?" she managed to tease. "Besides, I hear that they are very sought after at these things. I'll be lucky to get a hundred feet in front of them. See, look down there, see that little crowd by the back, by the bar? Can you guess who is in the middle of that throng of ladies?"

Nick directed his eyes towards where Judy had pointed. Sure enough, there was a rather large group of ladies, all lovely in their fancy gowns surrounding a group of about ten male mammals. "Fluff, you have nothing to worry about. Yours truly will keep you company. Besides, we are Precinct 1. Precinct 2? Pffff, they might have the looks but we have the strength and brains." He said proudly, slightly outstretching his chest in a show of bravado.

Judy giggled at this. She offered her arm to him "Well, one thing is for sure. We had better make it onto that damn jumbotron."

It was a running joke in the precinct that those who had years under their belt at the gala had never once made it to the jumbotron, the large screen which was the backdrop to the stage. It was big enough to cover an entire wall. They had been told that two or three cameramammals were placed among the guests to circle and mingle. The stickler point was that the only ones who ever made it to the jumbo screen were the 'above average' looking guests. The elegant and classy heads of organizations, the handsome entrepeneurs, the athletically built mammals of precinct 2, etc. Precinct 1 may be the one precinct that everyone strived to get into but it definitely had not been graced with a lot (or any) of physical attributes. It was a big deal to Precinct 1 to make it to the big screen, and more importantly, a challenge proudly accepted by the partners now walking into the hall.

They descended the stairs into the large formal dining area. As they made it about halfway down, one by one every pair of eyes in the room had turned to look at them as they descended. Judy was conscious of their eyes looking at her but convinced herself that it was Nick who was turning heads because golly jee, he looked heavenly. What? Heavenly? Did she just describe Nick as heavenly? Good grief.

Nick also noticed the stares and immediately attributed them to the angel- like rabbit whose arm was so tightly linked into his. He noticed that she glanced up to him every so often as if for reassuarance. He found it endearing. Why else would everyone be straining their necks to catch a glimpse of them? The way that her gown gently cascaded behind her every step, the way that her jewels reflected every glimmer and sparkle of the room, she was the embodiment of perfect tonught. He admitted briefly that he didn't look too bad himself.

They neared the bottom of the steps and almost laughed from embarrassment as the middle section of the hall erupted with hoots and hollers and pounding on the floor from their fellow Precinct 1 officers. Of course they would. As embarrassing as it was to have so many eyes on her, Judy found it comforting that she was alongside the sexiest guy there. Well, sexiest guy so far, she really had not caught a glimpse of Precinct 2, she corrected. The raucous that her companions had caused made her feel less apprehensive. She let her nerves die away and convinced herself that she would have a good time tonight. She felt beautiful and elegant and she felt lucky to be with some of the most important people to her, especially Nick.

Close to an hour passed in good company, mingling with the others and maybe more than a few drinks when the cameramammals began to do their rounds. First up, of course were shots of the board of directors, the entrepeneours, the "chosen ones", etc. They had not yet made their way to any of the precincts. Judy was closely following their movements when she felt a tug at her elbow. Nick was grinning at her and that definitely was not a good sign.

"Come on, Hopps. It's time for our show." He said getting out of his seat, standing and holding out his paw to her.

"Excuse me, what show?" she said refusing to accept his paw on his word alone.

"The show that is sure to get us onto that!" he exclaimed, paw pointing to the gigantic screen in front of them. "Come on, Fluff. It's history making time. Do it for you, do it for your city, do it for your precinct" he finished standing tall and saluting the flags which beared the emblems of the city.

"Whatever you are thinking, no." she argued all the while while slowly getting up.

"Come on, just trust me okay. It won't involve you doing anything that you don't like, I promise." He pleaded.

"Promise? I won't be making a fool out myself?" she nervously asked, Nick not allowing her to retract her paw from his grip.

"Y _ou won't._ Scouts' honor" He placed one paw in the air and crossed the other over his heart.

She agreed and stood.

Judy allowed herself to be guided by Nick through the enormous hall. Her gut told her that they should not be walking through the center of the room, in between all of the tables, but she was not in command here. She was simply following Nick's determined steps. They finally stopped near the back, near the rear hallway with smaller dining rooms to each side. Judy looked around and was not sure what he was planning. There were mammals congregated in small groups here and there but nothing that would make her think this was the "spot" to get the camera's attention. That's when she made eye contact with one of the camera mammals.

Without knowing it, as they made their way through the maze of tables, heads had turned towards them, just as they had when they first descended those steps. The curiosity of seeing Zootopia's finest officers so elegantly dressed had made them a focal point. Some still casually talked and others didn't care, but what most had focused on them. She glanced nervously around the room, politely smiling at everyone. She once again made firm eye contact with the camera mammal smiling at her from a distance, nodding his head and then, in almost one single movement he hoisted the camera up to his shoulder. She looked to Nick and then back towards the front of the hall. They would have to walk the length of the room back to their seats.

Nick looked smug, at least that's what the others would see. What Judy saw was the slight upward crease in his smile and the soft glow in his eyes. He looked proud of himself. He squeezed her paw, "Let's do this. Time to walk the runway, babe."

"What?" she managed to squeak before he was pulling her to match his stride. Sure enough, he began 'walking the runway' throwing imaginary kisses and winks to the ladies in their seats. Judy laughed, not just a giggle, or a chuckle, but a real laugh. Nick winked at her, too. She felt a mixture of so many emotions right then. Embarassment, giddiness, pride, happiness, just so many things. Nick went out of his way to make a big spectacle of himself. The ladies were eating it up. Some began clapping as he walked by.

"Come on, Fluff. Let loose a little!" Nick smiled as he grabbed her paw to bring her into a spin as if they had been dancing. Her gown flowed to match her movements. As she turned, that's when she saw it. There they were, Nick and Judy's faces plastered on the jumbotron. That smartass fox had done it. Just as she realized it, so had the rest of the precinct. They once again began stomping their feet in enjoyment and fists in the air. The occasional "Get 'em, Nick!" could be heard from that corner of the hall.

Nick didn't let up, he blew exaggerated kisses, did ridiculous dance movements, anything and everything to get the crowd pumped. Then, just as fast as it had started, they were at their table. They had walked the entire space of the hall with the camera following them every single step of the way. Just as they reached their table, the rest of the precinct had gathered round. Nick waved them all into the shot. So, there they were, each and every member of Precinct 1 on the jumbo screen, smiling, grinning, and having a great time. Even Bogo looked impressed. She saw Ben take out his phone and take a few pictures of the group and of the image on the screen. Judy felt absolutely elated. Nick was right, _she_ clearly not made a fool out of herself, he had taken that role purely for himself.

Then it was over. The cameramammal panned out to the buffet area and let the other camera take over. Much to the relief of Judy whose face was hurting from smiling so much.

Everyone fist pumped both Nick and Judy. It was an awesome feeling and one that she knew that she would not have been experiencing but for Nick. Her Nick. She smiled affectionately at him and reached out for his paw. He took it and squeezed it gently before letting it go. He stretched his arms out above his head and casually said, "Where's the toilet? I have to take a load off."

"Way to ruin the moment, Wilde." Judy remarked. He merely shrugged in response before getting up to look for the restroom.

He left her with the rest of the precinct, but they were still too busy jabbering about the experience than to pay her any attention. She rather lazily looked around the room. She caught a few eyes still looking over to her and smiling and she blushed in response. She had gotten used to some of the attention after the Nighthowler case but she still really didn't like to be in the limelight. Her eyes danced around the room, unconsciously humming to the music which was now playing in the speakers.

She noticed a small buffet style table at one of the corners of the hall which looked to be set up with an assortment of fruits and appetizers. They still not had served dinner and she was getting hungry, she thought about waiting for Nick to return to the table but figured that she wouldn't be gone for too long. She could just surprise him a plate of blueberries if they had any.

She snaked around the room, purposely avoiding the center where everyone could see her. She kept along the walls, behind the tables and eventually made it to the table, perfectly adorned with each and every tasteful fruit, berry, and sweet something that she could want. A young female beaver greeted her, "Hello, ma'am. Would you care for something?" Judy glanced at the options and sure enough, they had blueberries. She was a bit disappointed that they did not have any carrots but figured that blueberries would do for her, too. A look of surprise overtook the beaver, "Oh, my. I just ran out of plates. I will be back quicker than you can say blueberries!" and off she went, leaving Judy alone.

Judy turned her back to the table and back to the crowd. As soon as she did, she was surprised to see a fox to her right. She flinched out of surprise and shock of someone being so near to her without her hearing or noticing them. The male fox seemed to be about her age, maybe even Nick's. He was stylishly dressed in a black tuxedo which even looked expensive. She looked him over quickly and realized that she still had a surprised look on her face. He momentarily flinched himself, and Judy immediately saw that he interpreted her face as fear. She quickly smiled at him to make sure that he knew that she wasn't scared of him, not at all. Judy broke eye contact and thought to herself that it was very strange to meet another fox _at_ an event like this. She stopped herself, _there you go again, Judy, assuming that foxes shouldn't be here._

Judy looked back up to the male fox, he stood about Nick's height maybe an inch or two taller. His fur was a bit darker than Nick's, with shades of auburn and red mixed in with pockets of dark red and black all over. Not bad looking at all, she admitted, comparing him to _her_ fox.

"Can I get some grapes, please?" he smiled at her, expectantly.

"I'm sorry, grapes?" Judy asked confused.

"Grapes. May I please have some?" he even pointed at them this time.

It dawned on Judy. "Oh! You think that I work here! No, no I don't. I mean, I can get you some grapes if you want, but I don't work here! I am an officer, Judy Hopps." She proudly motioned to her chest where her badge usually was but immediately remembered that she didn't have her badge on. "Well, I have a badge that says it" she said, flustered.

He looked at her strangely, then laughed, one of those full open laughs. She even caught the gleen off of his sharp teeth. _Like Nick's,_ she mentally said. He stopped laughing but continued smiling at her, "Of course, you are the infamous Judy Hopps. I was just joking. Breaking the ice, as they say. I know who you are. Everyone knows who you are" he quieted, waiting for her to respond.

Judy didn't know what to say. "Oh, okay. Yeah, that's me. The attendant just left to get some more plates, she should be back any minute, Mr…." she asked slowly.

He extended his paw to her, "Ted. My name is Ted Strong. Nice to meet you, Ms. Hopps." She shook his paw as he made a slight bow of his head to her. "Anyone who hadn't seen your face before definitely saw it tonight" he smiled at her, turning his attention to the jumbotron. "And what a lovely face it is, Ms. Hopps."

Judy shrugged embarrassed. "It wasn't my idea. It was Nick's. Nick Wilde, my partner." She looked back at her table to see if she could point his way but he was not there, still not back from the restroom just yet.

Rhe fox's face grew cold for a millisecond as he looked in the direction of the officers but he bounced back without hesitating, "Yes, I figured."

"You aren't an officer because Nick's the only one we have…" she stopped herself. Geesh, she sounded so demeaning. Stopping herself to pause, she sighed and continued "What organization are you here with tonight, Mr. Strong?"

He gave no indication that he was offended by her earlier wording. He reached into his tux lapel and took out a sleek and metallic grey business card and handed it to her. She took it into her hands and read aloud, "Ted Strong. Owner of Strong Luxury Vehicles" She looked at him, clearly impressed. "You _own_ Strong Luxury? As in _the Strong Luxury?!_ Why on earth would you be here?" She asked almost incredulously.

He laughed again. The same open laugh as before. "Why wouldn't I want to be here, Ms. Hopps?" he smiled at her to continue. When she didn't, he said blandly, "A division of ours provides the vehicles for all three precincts."

"Oh. I see." She nodded in understanding.

"Plus, I enjoy socializing. Sometimes the mammals at my 'level'" he said in quotes "are just a bit too stiff for me. I like to go out on the town to talk to normal people without having to worry about sales, inventory, style, assets, all of that. It's nice to have a break." He took a sip of the glass of champagne which he was holding in his hand. He glanced around the hall then back to Judy.

"Plus, the beautiful mammals that one comes across at these functions are rarely come across anywhere else." He tipped his glass in her direction.

Judy felt herself turn red. This guy sure could charm. It must be a fox thing, she checked.

She was handing him his business card back. "No, keep it. You never know, you might need to buy a luxury vehicle. Or a drink sometime?" This guy was _good._ She couldn't help herself but to chide herself for feeling so charmed.

She opened her mouth to respond as the beaver energetically returned to the table and began serving Judy her blueberries. She focused on the motions of the beaver and tried to avoid looking at the charming fox at her side. As she waited, Ted added his order for the beaver. A plate of grapes...and rasberries.

"There you go, hun. Sorry about the wait" the beaver apologized. "Oh! I'm supposed to remind everyone who stops by, to check out the table down the way there" pointing to a table a few feet from where they were standing. "The Foundation is holding its annual raffle. Tickets are only $5 and there will be TWO grand prize winners this year!" she said excitedly.

Ted casually asked 'What's the grand prize?"

The beaver eagerly responded, "Oh, it's nice. It's an all expense paid vacation to a tropical destination. 7 days and 8 nights! How exciting!" By this time, she had finished handing the fox his grapes...and rasberries.

Judy considered the raffle, it was very tempting. She even lowered her hand to her side, where her pockets normally were only to remember that she had on a gown, with no pockets. She had left her clutch at the table so she had no money. Noticing the look on Judy's face, the fox spoke up. "Hey, how about I we strike a deal? After all, I am a man of business."

Judy looked on, intrigued.

He took her silence as an opportunity to continue. "I agree to buy your raffle ticket if you agree to a date with me sometime this week." He finished with a simple smile.

Judy immediately withdrew. It was one thing to feel flattered but completely another to agree to go on a date with someonethat she had just met.

He saw her hesitate and quickly reassessed. "Ok, how about this. I buy your ticket and you agree to _call me_ sometime this week?"

Judy couldn't help but to compare this fox, which was very attractive to her own fox. Both handsome, but only was _sexy._ She thought about saying no but then felt that he would be offended if she said no. She would have hated for him to think that she said no because he was a fox.

"Deal" she said hesitantly, slowly walking down the way to the raffle table. True to his word, Ted pulled out a crisp $100 dollar bill and paid for both tickets, telling the wolf attendant to keep the change for herself. She excitedly thanked him repeatedly. She then took down their information for each raffle ticket and handed each their stubs. She made sure to remind them that the winners would be announced the following day and would be contacted by phone.

Judy turned and thanked Ted quietly. "You owe me a phone call." He smiled widely at her. He made a small bow of the head and left her alone, holding a plate of blueberries in one hand and a shiny metallic business card in the other.

Judy stood and stared after the charming fox as he walked back to one of the VIP tables. She glanced down to the silver business card reflecting back at her and then her eyes instinctively searched the room back towards her own table and towards her own fox. Nick was back in his seat and having a conversation with Chief Bogo, the chief clearly unamused by whatever he was hearing.

She took a deep breath, feeling the need to shake a very strange feeling. It was a combination of uneasiness and hope? Maybe both. Either way, she had a night to enjoy, with the sexiest fox in the hall.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Here's a short one. Chapter 5 will be up next Friday. Thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to read this.**

 **I still don't own Zootopia or its characters.**

 **CHAPTER 4 -**

Judy made her way back to the Precinct table and placed the large helping of blueberries in front of Nick as she delicately sat in her chair, tucking and rearranging her gown to avoid having it pinned under the chair leg.

Nick was seated and casually taking a sip of his champagne. He was not a champagne kind of mammal but he was a "if it's expensive _and_ free, I'll drink it by the gallon" type of mammal. "Hey" she whispered as finally settled in her chair.

"Who was that?" Nick asked matter of factly, not even looking up from his plate of blueberries.

Judy knew exactly who he was referring to but felt the need to stall. 'Who?" she asked innocently, eyes looking around the hall.

"You know, that dude you were just talking to? The _only other fox_ in the room?" He was trying to force a casual tone but Judy could hear something in his voice that made her selfishly happy. Worried, flustered, perturbed? He finally glanced up to look at her. _Perturbed. He was definitely perturbed. Why? Am I not allowed to talk to other foxes? Am I limited to just one fox friend?_

She shot a look at Nick who quickly looked to his plate. "Thanks for the blueberries, Carrots." He always had a way of disarming her.

"You're welcome." She smiled sweetly back at him but the silence that followed confirmed that he still wanted an answer. "His name is Ted Strong, Nick. He owns a car company. He just introduced himself and let me know that if I ever needed a car, to call him." She forced the easygoing conversation. Nick wasn't buying it.

"Uh-huhh. _You,_ buy a luxury car? Sounds completely logical. What was his name? _Strong?_ _Are you kidding me?_ That sounds like some cheesy action figure name."

"Nick, he cant help his name. It's not like we choose our names. Isn't that right, Piberious?" she asked, suggestively.

"Point taken, bunny." He smirked back at her. "So this Strong fellow, he has money, right? Like he's loaded?" His easy going manner returned. He laid back in his chair and he popped a few blueberries into his mouth, offering a few to Judy.

Judy laughed. "How would I know? I talked with him for 5 minutes, Nick. Couldn't quite get into his personal finances. _Yet_. That's 3rd or 4th date talk." She knew she was riling him up.

His posture stiffened and he leaned back into the table. "3rd or 4th date? Did he ask you out on a date, Hopps?" He asked while his eyes began scanning the crowd behind them. He was clearly searching for Ted Strong. He unconsciously grit his teeth.

Judy chuckled, forcing Nick to suspend his search for his new nemesis. "Does Mr. July feel threatened?" She poked her paw into the side of his ribs, causing him to shuffle in his chair to avoid her.

"Me? Never. He might have the looks _and_ the money _and_ the cars _and_ the job title _and_ the nice house, but I have the badge!" He finished proudly.

"It's one hell of a shiny badge, too." Judy retorted.

* * *

The crowds made their way to their seats for dinner. Once that was over, the center floor was cleared for dancing. Judy felt nervous energy. She really wanted to dance but Clawhauser was busy chatting it up with Moxie, the guinea pig from records. She wanted to ask Nick but knew that he would say no. He argued earlier that 'dancing is for happy people.'

There were at least 20 couples on the dance floor. The DJ was doing a good job switching up the rhythms between fast and slow songs so that everyone got a chance to dance what they preferred. _So many beautiful couples_. Everyone looked happy, so technically Nick was right.

Half an hour passed and she gave up all hope that Clawhauser would ever stop talking with Moxie. She looked to the dance floor at all of the beautiful gowns swaying in rhythm. She was determined to dance even if that meant dragging Nick by the tail. She looked at Nick and stood up purposefully, paw outstretched. "Nicholas P. Wilde, do me the honor of accompanying me to the dance floor." Her courage failed her "Please?" She began to fidget with her dress again.

Nick eyed her suspiciously. "Fluff, look, I would love to dance with the most beautiful mammal in this place." He smiled at her.

"Aww…thank you, Nick."

"…but I just haven't found her yet. I would _hate_ to be dancing with you when she comes looking for me." Nick smiled mischievously at her, paw still outstretched.

Smack to the arm. Yeah, he deserved that.

He chuckled and rubbed his arm. "Seriously, Carrots. I don't dance. I just don't. I am sorry." He meant it. She could see that she was not going to persuade him. She sat back down and slouched forward in her chair, her elbows on the table and her face propped up by her paws.

"You know, Nick. A mammal just doesn't get all dolled up like this to sit on the sidelines. I might just have to be bold and look for those precinct 2…" She paused to allow him to chime in. But he didn't.

It was when she took her eyes off of Nick and refocused on the dance floor that she noticed that Nick's stare was fixed on something, or rather _someone_. Her gaze followed Nick's and landed on a red and brown fox smiling widely and heading towards their table. He was still a distance away and he _could_ be going to the restroom for all she knew but his eyes were focused on Judy. It was pretty safe to assume that he was going to _her_. In a split second, Judy went from panic, to embarrassment, to curiosity, to 'I wonder what Nick is thinking'. She settled on panic.

Before she could fully grasp what was happening, Nick had stood up, had held her paw, helped her out of her seat an guided her towards the dance floor. One paw had settled on the small of her back dangerously close to her tail. She could only follow his lead and walk past a very disappointed fox. As she passed him, they made eye contact. He merely shrugged his shoulders apologetically as if to say 'maybe next time'.

Nick did not speak. When they made it onto the dance floor, surrounded by swaying couples, he hesitated shyly before placing one paw on her hip and gently moving her towards him. Judy obeyed and closed the gap between them, cautiously linking her paws behind his neck. Neither of them spoke but they moved back and forth to the rhythm of the music.

Judy had time to process what had just happened and she looked quizzically at him for some time. She couldn't bear the silence anymore and just wanted to have fun dancing. "I would have said no."

Nick, surprised considered her words. "What?"

Judy sighed. "I said that I would have said no. Even if he would have asked."

Nick did not respond but she felt him slightly relax into her.

"I mean, I am here with you. Not _with_ you, _I know_ but I would not have felt very comfortable dancing with someone else other than you and Clawhauser..." Her words failed her and she turned away from Nick to the other couples.

"Oh, ok." Was his only audible response. His bodily response was pulling her closer to him.

She could feel that imaginary line in the sand blowing eroding even more. _Stupid unspoken feelings again. The feeling of hope? Of a dream?_ Judy wasn't quite sure she could explain it but for now, she was just happy to be dancing with the damn sexiest mammal in the hall. It felt natural and oh sweet cheese and crackers did he smell good! She buried her nose a little into his chest. He either didn't notice or didn't want to acknowledge it.

Two hours. That's how long they danced. Two glorious hours. Interestingly, half of that time they were up on the jumbo tron, much to Ben's delight. The first ten to fifteen minutes had been slightly awkward between the two partners but they soon fell into their own, joking and teasing each other.

At the end of the night, they both agreed that Nick turned out to be the better dancer of the two. They also agreed that Precinct 2 had nothing on 1 in the looks department. They discussed the likelihood of Chief Bogo's rumor being true after seeing him interact with the ladies of precinct 3.

Overall, the night was a success. It was close to 11pm when they left the hall. Most of the mammals who had stayed were the single ones looking to get a phone number or two.

Nick walked Judy up to her 7th floor apartment after the drive back home.

"I had a very good time tonight, Fluff. Thanks for making me come."

"I didn't _make_ you do anything, Wilde. You offered to come, remember?" She grinned.

"Yeah, yeah, as if I didn't know your wicked little ways." Nick hummed absentmindedly, fidgeting with the number 719 hanging on her door.

"Yeah, you love it. Admit it, you love being controlled." Judy teased, grabbing him by his neck tie so that they were at eye level.

This made Nick flustered and so he made no response, which made Judy slightly panic. Had she gone too far this time? Had she stepped over that line? _Oh crap._

"I am just messing with you, Slick. We _both_ know that _this_ is a two-way street." She nervously said and motioned with her paw between the both of them. Nick relaxed and chuckled.

"Goodnight, my dear. I must now have sweet dreams of all of the pretty faces I saw tonight." He winked at her and walked away.

She turned into her apartment and sprawled onto her couch, not bothering to take off her dress or caring about it. Suddenly, the vibration of her phone startled her. She pulled it out of her clutch and swiped the screen. '1 new message' from Nick, she grinned while her stomach did a little flutter.

She opened the attachment and her jaw dropped. The caption "Mr. July Wilde. sweet dreams Carrots" he had even added a winky face. It was a photo of him, tonight. He was standing in what appeared to be the restroom at the hall, his shades over his eye and provocatively leaning towards the camera, his tux jacket hanging over his shoulder, his vest and undershirt unbuttoned at the waist. The paw not holding his jacket was pulling his undershirt up, teasingly showing the very clear and very noticeable physique of a very toned fox. The corner of the camera angle reflected off of a mirror and she immediately knew who his partner in crime had been, one big cheetah. So, that's what had taken him so long in the restroom earlier.

 _Damn._ She couldn't help but laugh at how insane this dumb fox was. Leave it to him to do something as _crazy_ as this.

She texted back, "Now I have to burn my eyes, Nick."

He immediately responded. "You know you love me. Goodnight and sweet dreams."

She laid back down on the couch while holding the phone close to her heart. "Sweet dreams, indeed."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N I appreciate anyone who has taken the time to read this and to those who have left such nice words of encouragement! My goal is post a new chapter every Friday. So, Chapter 6 will be up _next_ Friday. Thanks again for reading and please leave a review if you feel so inclined.**

 **Posted: 08/12/16**

CHAPTER 5-

 **JULY 18TH**

It had been three days since the grand gala and it was back to normal for the famed duo partners. Although Judy and Nick had been scheduled off the two days following the gala, they had been called in by Chief Bogo the morning after to come in and work a special case, one personally assigned to them by Mayor Lionheart. There had been a series of stolen ID's, credit cards, and more targeting Zootopia's mammals. The suspect or suspects would then use the identities of the victim to open lines of credit at banks and at local businesses then wipe those accounts clean, leaving behind a trail of unpaid bills and outstanding debt. Nick and Judy learned there had been one victim a month for about one year but that the robberies has escalated in the last four months, jumping from one victim per month to two every two weeks. The victimology had evolved as well. In the beginning, it seemed that the only common factor linking each stolen identity had been that all victims were male and in their late twenties to early thirties. Now, however, there was one more link to all victims; that each of the victims was part of the elite business class of Zootopia, the rich of society. The wealthier the mammal, the more damage this suspect had done. It was now a problem for the Mayor and for this reason, Chief Bogo had offered his best team to the case.

Judy and Nick had tirelessly worked the case from every aspect for the past three days, interviewing each of the victims and after countless of interviews, they were no closer to a suspect. Whoever was doing this was definitely a professional, using the identities for no more than a few days before moving on to the next.

Judy turned off her computer after the third long day of chasing false leads. Sometimes the most tiring cases were not the physical ones, chasing down suspects or wrestling large and dangerous animals but rather those that had the brain going at 110% and no clear solution in sight.

She tiredly stood from her desk and glanced over to her partner's disheveled desk, a mess of papers scattered haphazardly underneath a dozen or more empty disposable coffee cups. He was in deep thought, tapping his pen against his chin and staring intently at his computer screen. The case was still far from being solved but the Chief had given them the day off and they each desperately needed it.

Judy began placing her own pens back in their holder and carefully stacking each loose sheet of paper into neat stacks in their respective bins located on each corner of her desk. "I'm calling it quits. Are you staying late tonight?" Judy asked Nick as she continued to organize her desk. She straightened her photos on each side of her monitor. Each photo representing the most important things in her life. She had one photo of her parents with a dozen or so of her siblings in the background. With so many brothers and sisters it was literally impossible to have one shot with everyone in it. There wasn't enough space on her desk to fit all of them, so she picked the one photo that had the most of them in it. Another photo was of her receiving her badge at police graduation, it was with Mayor Lionheart and Bellwether. Nick had cut out a picture of his face and taped it on top of Bellwethers. The last photo, already her favorite, was one that she just placed there yesterday. It was the night of the gala, Nick and Judy were in the center of the photograph surrounded by the rest of the gang at the precinct with the everyone's faces plastered in the jumbotron in the background.

She looked back over at Nick, who had not yet responded to her. "Nick? Coming home?" Even she paused a moment at the phrase. The question was simple enough but the implication of it weighed heavily. Nick caught it too, because with the look he gave her, she could have just as easily asked "Nick, honey, are you coming home - to _my bed,_ so that we can cuddle?"

She feigned innocence and looked at him confused, "What? I asked if you were coming?"

"Yeah, sure. Umm, just give me a minute to close up everything." She sat back down at her desk and began to mess with her phone, checking Furbook and deleting emails that were either junk or just coupons for stores that she would never have the time to visit. She noticed that her voicemail icon was lit, notifying her of three new voicemails. _How in the world? The phone hasn't even rung today! Must have had bad signal while out in Tundratown._ She opened the inbox and it was the same unknown number all three times. The time stamps indicated that she received the first voicemail yesterday. She pushed 'play' just as Nick grabbed his keys and stood up, the signal that it was time to go. He didn't bother organizing his desk, instead opting to leave it in the same state of unorganized disarray that it was currently in. He had however placed each and every used coffee cup in the trash bin. You could call him disorganized, but _never_ gross.

Judy decided that she would just listen to those voice messages later. It was already close to 10:30 pm anyway and she was tired and ready to leave. Whoever it was wouldn't be getting a call back tonight.

They left the precinct together and rode in Nick's car, not speaking but just listening to the radio. She had never pegged him as a pop/rock type of guy but now that he had his own car, he had the power to control what they listened to. More times than not, they just happened to be listening some pop/rock song or other. She didn't mind, she was really into whatever. Her body relaxed and seemed to melt into the car seat. She hadn't realized just how exhausted she was. She glanced at the dashboard clock which read 10:41. It was too late to do anything. No dinner, no TV, no reading...nothing. Maybe tomorrow, she thought glancing over to her partner whose full attention was on the road ahead of them. The darkness of the car was illuminated every few hundred feet or so, as they passed under the yellow glow of the street lights. Every time the interior lit up, she could see the lights dance across his face. _He looks tired._ This case was tiring him out just as much as it was her. _At least we're going home._ _\- Crap._ Her calling their apartments 'home', singular - as in one home. It wasn't a lie per say but it wasn't one home. Two mammals, two apartments.

Ever since Judy had moved into the same building just a little over a month ago, they had established a rather domestic routine. Every morning, she would get dressed then head down to his third floor apartment. She would eat a bagel or a cup of coffee or whatever the fox would offer. Nick had eventually introduced new items to his pantry such as carrot cake, carrot flavored tea, carrot flavored coffee creamer. He refused to acknowledge that it was because of her but Judy knew better. Together they would sip through their first cup of coffee, he would leave to his room to change into his uniform. No matter how many times Judy tried to get him to hurry up, there had not yet been one single day that he had been ready when she arrived. She was okay with it, she always left her apartment a good 20 minutes before they had to leave anyways. Once he was ready, she would ride with him to work. Sometimes, they were silent the entire ride to work and it was the silence that felt comforting. Judy much preferred the silence in Nick's company than by herself at home.

The work day would end and they would ride back to the apartment building. They sometimes had dinner at her apartment or at his and one would cook while the other cleaned up afterwards. Some nights, if they got home early enough, they would watch TV together for a short while. Little by little, Judy noticed that his things were popping up around her apartment. His favorite mug for example, the one that Finnick had given him a few years' back with 'Born to Be Wilde' written in bold red letters, was casually among her mugs. A blanket of his had somehow been left behind after a TV marathon night. He had actually brought a few blankets that day, arguing that movie watching wasn't the same in that 'girl crap' she had in her apartment. So, she occasionally found herself snuggling with his blanket when she was home alone and watching television or reading a book.

It was an arrangement that neither had noticed happening or even complained about. It just _was_. Recently though, Judy had found herself feeling uneasy about their arrangement. She found herself waiting for him to come 'home' in the evenings and she did not like feeling so anxious when he took a while to get there. This was not his home, she scolded herself. Nonetheless, the more they spent time at each other's places, the more she _wanted_ him to want to be here with her.

She needed to get this under control. _Now_. Before her feelings got hurt or before whatever this was got in the way of their work. She tried to think logically -Nick was her good friend and he liked to teased her but that was it. He wasn't looking for a relationship with her or anyone.

She was brought back to the present as they pulled into the parking garage. He walked her up to her apartment, as he always did. They said their goodbyes and she busied herself with her night time ritual of brushing teeth, changing, and relaxing to unwind.

Under normal circumstances, he would be back at her place within the hour or she at his. Tonight, though, she was too tired. She wanted to spend one night without staring at her door, hoping he would be on the other side. She sighed and looked at her phone. 11:17PM.

" _Good night, Nick. I'm super sleepy so I will see you tomorrow_." She sent the text then put the phone on her couch. As she did, she heard the distinct noise of a message alert just outside her door. Her heart did that thing again.

Within seconds her phone buzzed in reponse. "That would have been nice to have known 3 minutes ago but now you're stuck with me. Open your door, Carrots. I brought food"

She had no will power to stay away from this fox and she would be okay with that tonight. She unlocked her front door and sure enough, the fox stood at her door, grin on his face and holding a large brown paper bag, courtesy of the restaurant on the first floor.

"Nick, you know I love you, right?" She giddily teased while snatching the bag out of his hand.

"You're only saying that because I bribe you. It's okay, I'll take what I can get." He responded after her, closing the door behind him. He was in his blue ZPD jogging pants and a plain white T-shirt. He glanced over Judy's wardrobe as well. "Nice outfit, Fluff"

Judy placed the bag on the kitchen table and looked down at what she had changed into - blue ZPD joggers and a white Tshirt. "You know, great minds think alike, Slick"

He plopped into the chair opposite where she had placed their dinner and he absentmindedly began picking at the place mat. "Did you know that tonight was the season finale of Game of Stones? We missed it."

"What? That was tonight? I really wanted to watch it! Oh! I remember I set my DVR to record it. Yay, we can watch it tomorrow!" Judy happily remembered.

"Tomorrow? Why do you think I am here, Carrots? I knew that you, being the responsible one of the team, _had_ to have recorded it. There is no way that I am going to sleep without watching it." It was not a question, more like a statement of fact.

She returned to the table and set bowls at each of their regular seats. "So, you bring me food to butter me up?" Judy slowly placed a spoon next to his empty bowl. "Nicholas Wilde, if I didn't know any better, I would think that you are using me for my television."

Nick grinned. "Me? Never!"

Judy laughed and served each of them. The soup that Nick picked out smelled delicious and as hungry as she was, she was dying to dig in. She inhaled deeply. "Well, alright. Since you _clearly_ are here to spend quality time with your friend and partner and NOT to watch television, I suppose we can eat really quickly and watch the finale. Besides, who needs sleep, right?" She sat down at the table and rolled her eyes at Nick who smiled fondly at her.

They finished their dinner in record time. Could they still call it dinner at this late hour? Nick was hurriedly cleaning up the kitchen as Judy made her way to the couch. She glanced down at her phone - 11:33PM. She turned on the TV and pulled up her recorded shows, hurriedly scrolling past all of the sappy rom-com movies that she may or may not have watched at least a dozen times, each.

"Move over, move over. You're in my spot." He playfully shood her away from where she was sitting on the couch.

This made Judy laugh, "Excuse me, _your_ spot? Whose apartment is this? Whose couch is this?" She argued. She didnt bother waiting for a response before scooting to the opposite corner of the couch.

"My spot, Carrots. No one is allowed to sit here, ever. Not even you. Or shall I remind you what hell this couch put me through moving you in here?" He raised an eyebrow and she nodded apologetically. "Exactly. I thought so. _My_ spot." Nick had in fact gone through hell moving that couch into the apartment. He spent about an hour adjusting and readjusting it so that it would finally fit through the front door.

"Now shush, it's time to watch our favorite show." He relaxed into the couch and put his feet up on the ottoman. He extended his paw out to Judy and without having to think about it, she knew exactly what he was asking for. She pulled his dark grey blanket from underneath her and handed the corner to him, still readjusting her body to fully pull it out from under her.

"Thanks for keeping it warm, Fluff. I'll even share, now come over here..." This particular addition to their routine was new, a few days in fact. They had always stuck to their own corners of the couch but the night before the gala however, Nick had rested his arm along the top cushion and brazed against Judy's shoulder. They each startled at the innocent contact but he didn't move his arm. He kept it there. Whether it was her that began inching towards him first or the other way around, the fact of the matter is that by the end of the night, she was tucked underneath his arm, head resting against his chest. They did not speak of it. It was like most other things in their relationship it _just...was._

Judy scooted to the middle of the couch and allowed Nick to rest his arm around her shoulder. She curled her legs underneath her so she was in a ball next to his side.

Whatever happened with them, their partnership or anything else, she would look back at these moments fondly, she agreed to herself. The snarky, witty, and teasing fox melted away and in his place was the gentle and warm mammal that only she was allowed to see. Either fox was good company.

The weight of her eyelids overtook her in less than half an hour. She was snuggled next to Nick, basked in his warmth and with the light glow of the television- she had no chance of staying awake.

* * *

 **July 19th**

Judy groggily woke the next morning. She stretched her arms above her head and grazed the very familiar cushion of the plush lining of her headboard. She lazily rolled over to her side and hugged her pillow tighter underneath her head. _Best purchase of my adult life. Who cares if Nick makes fun of the ridiculous amount of pillows that are on here? Nick_!

She was in her bed but had fallen asleep on the couch with Nick, she was sure of it. Had she woken up during the night and come herself or had he carried her here? The thought made Judy immediately blush. She quietly got out of bed and realized that she had been covered with Nick's blanket.

She tiptoed out of her bedroom, through the short hallway, and into the living room, fully expecting to see Nick asleep on her couch. _Nothing_. Her heart sank just a tiny little bit. Of course he would want to sleep in his own bed and besides, it's not like he lived far. Judy surmised that she must have fallen asleep and he had carried her to her own bed, covered her in his blanket, and left for his apartment.

She walked back to her room to check the time. 8:30AM. Judy very rarely slept past 7:15. She was already past her normal jogging time but decided that she needed the jog since it looked like it was nice out. Within 15 minutes, she was changed and ready to go. She thought about inviting Nick but decided against it. She needed to avoid doing _everything_ with him.

Speaking of Nick, she was surprised that he hadn't called or texted her yet. She pulled her phone from in between two of the couch cushions and remembered that she had not charged it the night before. _Great,_ 14%. _Maybe I will charge it for a few minutes before heading out. I would hate to run out of battery then need it for an emergency_. One of the important lessons learned on the job was that they needed to remain accessible at all times, which meant they always needed to have access to their phones.

Judy suddenly remembered those pesky voicemails that she had not yet listened to. For the second time, she pulled up the first voicemail and pressed play.

"Hello, this message is for Ms. Judy Hopps. My name is Evelyn, I am calling from the Zootopia Foundation. I have some good news for you! Please give me call back at..." _Zootopia Foundation? What would they possibly be calling me for?_

She clicked play on the second voicemail which she had received yesterday morning. "Hello, Ms. Hopps. This is Evelyn again from the Foundation. I have some important news for you and it's time sensitive so do please give me a call back as soon as possible. You can reach me at..." It was then that Judy remembered the raffle ticket. _The paid trip! Oh my goodness, did I win?_

She enthusiastically pressed play on the third message. "Hello, Ms. Judy. This is my third message. I am sorry for calling you so many times. It is very important that I speak to you. The sooner the better!"

 _Why wouldn't she just tell me by phone if I won? How perfect would this be? Our birthdays on vacation?_

She hurriedly dialed the phone number that she had been given and the voice that Judy recognized as from the messages answered, "Zootopia Foundation, this is Evelyn how may I help you?"

Judy almost shouted, "Hi! My name is Judy Hopps and I received your messages just this morning. I am so sorry that I had not called you back sooner!" Judy paused, allowing Evelyn to chime in.

"Oh, hello there Ms. Hopps. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever get in touch with you!" She chuckled and continued, "Yes, well, as I said in the message. I am with the Zootopia Foundation and you are one of our winning raffle tickets! Congratulations, you won an all expense paid vacation for two!"

Judy was speechless. A paid vacation! She had never won anything in her life. Nick is going to be thrilled! There wasn't even one second of doubt - she was taking Nick.

Before Judy could thank her, Evelyn chimed in again, 'Oh! The reason that I needed to speak to you so urgently was because this is a trip paid for and arranged by one of our sponsors, the dates and arrangments are already set. This is a 7 day and 8 night trip to the Vista Animeaux, but.." she stressed the _but_ , "but the tickets out of Zootopia are for July 22nd, in just a few days. I need to find out whether or not you will be able to make it on such short notice. There is no alternate date. I am sorry."

Judy considered it. An entire week off without giving proper notice at work? She was almost tempted to say no until she remembered the date. 7 days and 8 nights beginning on the 22nd _! How perfect! We will be on vacation for my birthday!_ She didn't know how she would do it, but Bogo was going to have to give them the days off. Besides, a few more days would be enough time to solve their current case.

"Well, it is short notice but I think I can make it work!"

"Great! That is great news, Ms. Hopps! I am delighted to hear it. What I will need from you is you and your travel companion's basic information like names and birthdays and such. Most importantly, I need to get a copy of your valid passport. You will be traveling outside of the limits of Zootopia so a valid passport is required. I will need that by the end of the afternoon today."

"Of course, I can give you names and birthdays now if you want. I will have to get passport info to you later though."

"Fine. Ready when you are."

"My full name is Judith Laverne Hopps, birthday July 29th. My travel companion will be Nicholas Piberious Wilde, birthday July 31st." Judy grinned from ear to ear just thinking how cool of a surprise this would be for Nick. On their birthdays!

As soon as she hung up with Evelyn, she was ready to dial Nick's number. NO BATTERY. It powered off in her hands. This news couldn't wait!

She left her phone charging and hopped down to the third floor. She knocked on his door energetically and it was then that she felt a bit uneasy again. Ted Strong. He was the reason that she was even going on this vacation and she still owed him a phone call, even more so now. She would definitely call him later. Possibly. If she had time. She would think about that later.

Right now, she was happily focused on giving Nick the great news. She waited for what seemed a good 3 or 4 minutes before she could hear him on the other side of the door. "Nick, it's me! Open up, I've got a surprise for you!" She could hear the giddiness in her own voice.

The door opened and Nick stood in the doorway, phone to his ear as he waved her in. Judy walked in around him and plopped down on his worn down couch. The oversized black leather monstrosity had seen better days but as with most other things in Nick's apartment, it served a purpose. The purpose of the couch was to sit on. It didn't have to be too pretty or new even, just big and comfortable enough to watch some television every now and then. Until it could not longer serve its purpose, he saw no use in replacing it.

Judy waited for him to finish his phone call and tried her best not to eaves drop. It was hard not to when she heard her name mentioned. Nick impatiently paced the distance between the kitchen and the living room. "Sure, of course. I'll let Hopps know. Thanks for the information. We will see you tomorrow."

Judy watched as he ended the call and placed his phone onto his coffee table. He looked frustrated. She briefly debated whether now would be a good time to mention why she had hurried here. She waited for him to explain the call and the reason for his apparent mood. He stared intently at the television screen although it was turned off, as if he was watching the most interesting show in the world.

Judy finally asked, "What was that about? Who are we seeing tomorrow?"

Nick seemed to be roused from his transe and looked at Judy. "Oh, yeah, sorry. That was Delgado. Seems that our suspect was putting in some overtime yesterday. Two different mammals reported their property stolen and within 24 hours, there has already been suspicious activity with their accounts. Delgado just wanted to give us a heads up before coming back in tomorrow." Nick ended with a sigh and furrowed brows. He wasn't happy. "This mammal is too smart, Hopps. How in the world has he gotten away with this for so long? It's as if we are chasing a ghost, a ghost who always seems to be three steps ahead of us."

"Don't worry, Nick. We will get them."

"So, you and I get to hit the ground running tomorrow, Carrots. With your brains and my dashing good looks, we should have this wrapped up by the end of the week." He flashed Judy one of his grins. She could see past his witty exterior and could tell that he was truly frustrated at the lack of progress that they had made thus far on the Stolen Identity case.

Judy's good humor and enthusiasm waned for a moment. _Maybe this isn't the best time for a vacation._ _Nick's right, we do need to hit the ground running on this one_.

Nick saw her mood change and remembered, "So, bunny, what's the big surprise that you have for me?" He now sat next to her on the couch and bumped her shoulder with his. "Did you finally realize the error in your ways and throw out those ridiculous pillows?" He raised an eyebrow at her as Judy positioned herself on the couch to face him.

Judy felt herself blush at the mention of her bedroom and pillows. "No, that's not it. But….speaking of pillows, umm…I guess thank you for getting me in bed last night and sorry I fell asleep without finishing the episode." She finished shyly and shrugged her shoulders.

Nick responded unaffected, "No worries, Hopps. I do have to say, I don't usually carry a lady to bed without getting something out of it." He chuckled. Smack in the arm. Deserved it but it helped lighten the mood a bit.

"Well, actually I was coming with some really great news but that was before you reminded me of the case. I don't know if it's good timing." Judy looked at Nick with a look of disappointment. "So, nevermind."

"What? You can't tell me that you have a big surprise then dash my hopes like that. What could possibly interfere with the case? Are your parents coming into town?"

"No, it's not that. Nick, what important thing is on July 29th?" Judy asked playfully.

"Nothing important. I think that the question you are asking is what important thing is on the 31st?" Nick argued, lifting an arm to rest against the top of the couch and inches away from Judy's shoulder.

" _Nothing important_." She mimicked Nick. "We have the chance to have the best birthdays ever, Nick but I just don't know if the timing is right." Once again, she looked disappointed.

Nick looked at her a bit confused. "Since when have you cared about a birthday? Wasn't it you that told me just a month ago that if I acknowledged your birthday in any shape or form, that you would push me in front of a bus?"

"What? I never said that! What I said was that birthdays just have never felt very special to me. They're just like any other days." Judy averted her eyes to the coffee table in front of her. "Truth be told, this will be my first ever birthday away from home." She sighed and sunk slightly more into the couch.

"I've never really cared for my birthday either. First because what's there to celebrate? That I'm getting older and that much closer to death? No thanks. Second, well, because who would I have ever celebrated with?" Nick now also focused his attention to the coffee table before them.

"I don't mind getting older. It's just that…back at home, with so many of us, we celebrated birthdays once a month. Every month, there was always between 20 and 30 of us celebrating at a time and it was never anything too special. I am one of the oldest so I was stuck with organizing and planning the dinners. Granted, they were never ever anything too elaborate, getting almost 300 of us to agree on a minimal menu, not easy." Judy looked back up to Nick who stared back at her empathetically. "So, in a strangely weird way, I feel happy about it being just me this year and extremely sad for the same reason, that it's _just me_ this year."

"Well, then it's a good thing it's not just you this year. You have me whether you like it or not." He smiled genuinely to her before continuing, "So, what is this once in a lifetime deal that you're so ready to bail on?"

Judy became a little more energetic. "So, get this! I won us a paid vacation! Seven days and eight nights at Vista Animeaux! Doesn't that sound amazing, Nick?" Her voice rose with every syllable that came out of her mouth.

Nick looked impressed but dubious. "That does sound pretty amazing, Carrots. I'm curious though, who exactly is giving you such a nice trip?"

Judy debated whether one Ted Strong needed to be mentioned in this little recap story at all. _I am being silly. There is no reason for me to feel so weird bringing up Ted's name with Nick. Is there?_ "The Zootopia Foundation. They held a raffle at the Gala and I happen to be one of only two lucky winners!" _Not even necessary to bring up his name_.

"Wow, I'm pretty impressed. Look at you, getting by on more than your brain and good lucks." He winked at her amusedly.

"Shut it, Wilde. It is great, but the trip is in a few days! We would leave on the 22nd. How are we supposed to leave with the Stolen Identity case still ongoing? The Mayor and the Chief are counting on us, we can't just leave everything and for a whole week! Who knows, the Chief won't even give us time off!" Judy admitted to herself that the likelihood of being able to go on this trip was slim to none. She shrunk back into the couch.

Nick pondered the situation seriously for a bit and then smiled. "On a scale of one to ten, how much do want to go?"

Judy rolled her eyes, already anticipating a snarky comment.

Nick laughed, "Just hear me out, Hopps. You really want to go and I really want you to have the best damned birthday in the history of birthdays so let's just make this happen. We both have sick and personal days on top of vacation that we have not touched once. We have the days covered. Even if Bogo gives us lip, what can he do, fire us? Nope, not _us._ And as for the case, it's been ongoing for a full year, they just gave it to us a few days ago. We can leave Delgado with a list of mammals of interest to work on while we are away. No big. Besides, this case has worn me down in just a few days, I need a break." He finished, clearly proud of himself.

A sense of relief flooded Judy. She allowed herself to feel elated again at the possibility of this trip! With her favorite mammal! On her birthday! _Can this day get any better? No, it cannot._

"Ok, Nick. Let's do this! I'm going to go to my apartment and grab my phone and I'll call Bogo right away to let him know." She eagerly stood from the couch and hopped towards the front door, remembering Evelyn's instructions from before. She turned to face Nick, still seated on the couch smiling after her. "Oh! I almost forgot! They're going to need a copy of your passport so I can send it to them later!" Judy had almost completely turned to face the door when the look on his face made her turn back around.

That look on his face. Confusion? Alarm? Both? Whatever that look was, Judy felt her stomach sink.

Nick stood from the couch, "Passport? Why do I need a passport?" He asked, eyebrows furrowed still confused.

"You need a passport because the Island is outside of Zootopia's borders." Judy answered matter-of-factly without looking away from Nick. She inched back towards him. "You _do_ have a passport, don't you, Nick?"

That look again. She already knew the answer. Well, this day just got _worse._

"I can't say that I have ever needed to travel outside of Zootopia before. On account of me being a fox and being poor and all. Never got around to it. So, do I have a passport? No, no I do not."

"But they force you to get a passport when you work for the ZPD. You _have_ to have one." Judy argued.

"Well, our very good Chief made the executive decision to waive that requirement for me. He asked me to get it whenever I had a chance. I haven't had the chance." Nick placed his hands in his pockets.

"Really, Nick? Really? Oh, sweet cheese and crackers! The Foundation told me that it was required." She huffed and looked around the room, as if the room would provide a solution. It did. "Ok, Nick. It's still early. Let's go down to the Postal Service to see if they can process it in one day or I don't know expedite it or something."

Nick turned to grab his keys and obediently followed Judy out of the door.

"Oh well. I guess we just aren't supposed to go." Joked Judy once they were in line for his application. The office was packed to full capacity. They not so patiently waited for close to one hour before it was their turn.

"One full week? Seven days? That's the fastest that he could have it?" Judy almost shouted at the poor antelope behind the clear screen divider.

"I am very sorry, ma'am. That's the fastest turnaround time for passports. That's with the expedited option and also the service member consideration." She looked between Judy and Nick apologetically.

"Ok, thanks. Nevermind." Nick turned on his heel and was ready to walk away.

"Nick! Where are you going? You are here. Get the passport now or regret that you didn't when you need it again." Judy said, defeated. _The universe is out to get me today. Just when I thought that Nick and I were going to have the best vacation ever, it turns out that we aren't even going._

The drive back to the apartment building was much less jovial than the ride there.

Judy took a deep breath and tried to change her mood. "Well, there are lots of other things we can do for our birthdays, right Nick? How about we go hiking? Or fishing?"

Nick shook his head and kept his eyes fixed ahead on the road. "Nope. You are still going on that trip, Carrots. You can't pass it up just because I can't go. The trip is yours, not mine. Plus, this way Bogo won't make such a fuss about it. I will be here to work the case while you live it up on the beach. I will live vicariously through you for a week." He grinned at her and Judy could hear the disappointment in his voice.

"A trip by myself? No, thanks! I will just call the Foundation and let them know that I can't make it afterall. There's always next year, Nick."

"By yourself? Who said that you would go by yourself? I wouldn't trust you alone for a second." He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes at him again. "Why don't you ask Clawhauser to go? I am sure that he would be fun company. More fun than me, anyway. Besides, you will be back before my birthday so you and I can do something fun then." This time Nick said it like he meant it. He really did want her to go without him.

"Clawhauser? I don't know…" Judy tried to name any real reasons to object to Clawhauser's company. She couldn't think of any.

"Nope, no ifs ands or buts, Hopps. Okay, maybe some _butts_."

Judy did not respond, she just sat in silence the rest of the drive home. This isn't what she had expected when she gladly accepted the trip. Sure, it was still the vacation of a lifetime, but she couldn't help to be sad, _extremely_ sad even, that she wasn't going to spend it with Nick. On top of that, she would have to go one full week without seeing him. The longest that they had gone since he became her partner was two days. That was when she had visited Bunnyburrow a few months back. Even then, two days had seemed long.

* * *

 **July 21st**

Nick and she had hit the ground running on the Stolen Identity case and a new potential lead. There had been an attempted robbery of a lion's duffel bag at Zootopia's country club just yesterday but the lion stopped the would-be robber before he could take off. It was a seventeen year old employee of the club, a caddy who had worked there for two summers. When they had gone to interview him, he claimed to know nothing. He showed the partners a typed note which read "Locker 14. Get me the duffel bag and expect to be rewarded with a years' worth salary. Drop the bag down the dirty laundry chute at exactly 1:05 PM and claim your reward here at 2:30. Mention one word to anyone and you will regret it." The note had been left on the teen's car window on the side of the building that had no working cameras. Well, at least they had their first real tangible lead.

Judy prepared her two bags the evening before the train was scheduled to leave. She would take the train to the outskirts of Zootopia where she would then travel by ferry to get to the island. She didn't have much in the way of clothes but decided that it would be better to have the extra empty space, in case she wanted to bring back souvenirs. She packed two bathing suits, a few skirts, some tank tops, and something that Clawhauser had insisted on, one single black dress. She would not get a chance to wear it but she took it just to please Clawhauser. He had been more than thrilled to have been invited to be her companion. She didn't really mind having him as company for a full week, at least she knew that she wouldn't be bored.

She was carefully setting everything that she would need next to the front door to avoid forgetting anything. She had just gone back to her room to do one quick glance over to make sure she didn't need anything else when she heard the knock at her door. _8:51pm. Who can_ it _be at this hour? Nick already called and said what time_ to _meet him at his apartment for him to drop me off…_

She gently opened the door and saw her fox at the other side. Her heart and those damned flips. It happened so frequently with Nick yet it was a surprise every time that it did.

She opened the door widely so he could get in. He did not. "Hey, uh, I figured that we wouldn't have much time tomorrow morning, so I should give this to you now." He lifted his arm to produce a rather large light blue gift bag.

Judy was surprised and did not move. It wasn't until Nick tried to place the bag into her paw that she reacted. "Oh. Nick, wow. What is this for?" She motioned for him to enter the apartment but he stood firm, looking slightly nervous.

She took the bag from his paw and looked intently at Nick, a small smile creeping onto her face.

"Well, I wont get to see you on your birthday so might as well give it to you now. It might be useful on your vacation." He placed one paw in his pocket while the other scratched the back of his ear sheepishly.

"Nick! You didn't have to get me anything!" Judy said excitedly. _He bought me a birthday present!_

"It's nothing too fancy, Hopps. Something that I thought you might like. Don't get all emotional on me," he teased. "Now hurry up."

"Don't hurry me, Nicholas Wilde. I need to savor this moment because this might never be repeated." She said as she began to sift through the gift paper placed haphazardly in the bag. He had definitely done this on his own. That thought made Judy even more emotional.

Her paw reached the bottpm of the bag and her paw pressed against a very familiar shaped item. Judy smiled in genuine surprise. "A sun hat, Nick! Oh, look at this, it's beautiful!" She pulled it completely out of the bag and inspected it. It was almost exactly like the one that she had left in Bunnyburrow but this one was had a dark purple, almost magenta silk band around the outer rim and at the very base of the hat. It was perfect. As she turned it over to fully inspect it, she noticed the small white tag lining the inside. Her eyes shot up to Nick in amazement. "No! Nick, it's not!" She brought it closer to read the very small letters.

"It is." Nick smiled proudly to her.

"This was made in Bunnyburrow! Oh, Nick. It's from home. How in the world did you manage to get a bunnyburrow hat in Zootopia? I've looked everywhere for one and I haven't found a place that sells them."

"Well, I admit I had your parents send it to me. Look closely at the tag again." He motioned towards the hat.

Judy read over the small letters printed on the label and her face instantly lit up. "Mom made it? She stopped making these hats years ago because they were so time consuming." Her eyes were becoming watery.

"Yeah, she made sure to tell me so. Many, many times in fact. Your mom loves me so she couldn't refuse. I actually think she did it more because I asked than because it was for you." _That charming smile. He will be the death of_ me.

Judy's cheeks were hurting from smiling so much. "Nick, this is the best present I have ever received. It's so thoughtful and I don't deserve it. Here I am, about to leave for this amazing trip and leaving you behind to stress about this stupid case and…and…" her voice failed her and she had to stop from tearing up again.

"No worries, Carrots. The hat was nothing. Just have fun on vacation and that will be enough for me." He looked around the empty hallway and then back to Judy. "So, that was it. I just wanted you to have that before you left and we might not have had time tomorrow before I dropped you off at the station. So, happy early birthday and I'll see you tomorrow." He turned to leave when Judy stopped him by grabbing his shoulder.

Before he could refuse, she pulled him into one of the tightest hugs ever given.

"Oh, come on, Hopps. Quit being all gushy. You're leaving for a week, not a year."

She slowly peeled away from him. "Yeah, I know. One week. Will you miss me? Yes, yes you will." She playfully punched him in the arm as he turned to leave. He repeated "Yes, yes I do"

* * *

 **July 22nd**

Nick had knocked on her door five minutes before they were scheduled to meet. Leave it to Nick to be on time the one day she was running behind. She was still done getting ready well before they had to leave.

The train station was busy, given that it was rush hour on a weekday. Nick pushed and heaved his way through the crowd until finally settling on quieter area of the station. She felt excitedly nervous and extremely guilty for leaving Nick behind but felt comfort in the fact that at least she had already notified him of her plan which involved her calling at least a dozen times a day. Nick didn't protest.. Judy knew that it was only a week but it really did feel like she was going away for good. Her chest was in knots.

They didn't have to look for the big cheetah when they arrived because they heard him 'hello' them from across the station. He was pulling an entire cart of luggage with him.

"O-M-Goodness, Judy. This is so exciting! I cant wait to get on the beach! I googled the hotel that we are staying in. It's going to be amazing! You and I are going to the spa every single day. Too bad you can't come with us, Nick!"

"Yeah, well, some of us have to stay behind and actually work to keep this city safe. Plus, I remembered that you guys are traveling by ferry, right? No thanks. I have a fear of drowning." Nick said absentmindedly, his eyes looking around the station.

Judy narrowed her eyes in on him, "Nick, you know how to swim, why would you drown?"

"Well, you know..I might." He shrugged his shoulders trying to act nonchalant. He was getting better at masking his words but Judy could see the slight disappointment and sadness in his face. That was why he couldnt focus on them, instead his eyes darted around the room.

Clawhauser was oblivious. "We are going to take lots of pictures so you won't miss a thing! I will post every hour on Furbook. I already created an album 'Island pictures' so you check there."

"Well, I guess this is it then...I can help place Judy's bags in the compartment but Bennie Boy, you're on your own." Nick grabbed both of Judy's bagd and walked towards the side of the train where all large bags were checked in. Clawhauser followed shortly behind wheeling his luggage cart in front of him.

She stood in place waiting on them to return when she spotted the nicely dressed fox. Sweet cheese and crackers. She had to decide fast whether she would smile to him or turn and pretend that she hadn't seen him. They locked eyes. _Fudge, too late._ The dark fox immediately smiled and waved at her, his steps becoming more determined. Judy looked to the baggage check area and saw Nick and Clawhauser still with the baggage attendant.

Judy was genuinely curious to know why a mammal like Ted Strong would be at a train station, when he had a plethora of cars and even helicopters at his disposal. He continued walking towards her but his path was temporarily blocked when a family of pigs dropped their bags in front of him.

"Oh, look who's here. It's your friend." Nick's voice next to her startled her and she almost screamed. "Wow, calm down, Hopps. Just me." He said, waving his hand in the air as if in surrender.

Judy felt flushed. "Oh, sorry. You startled me, that's all."

Ted had managed to maneuvre his way around the pigs and their scattered belongings. In no time, he was standing directly opposite Judy and Nick. He smiled brightly at Judy.

"Well, hello there stranger." Ted casually said. He extended his paw to Judy who did the same.

Judy felt Nick stiffen next to her. His posture, his demeanor, everything changed immediately. This was not gentle Nick, this wasn't even witty Nick, this was Nick the officer - ready to interrogate and use physical force if necessary.

"Hello." Judy said shyly as she took back her paw. "Traveling or picking up someone?" She felt anxious to keep her tone light and casual but not too casual because Nick would pick up on her forced tone. Ugh.

"Traveling, actually. You'll never guess. This fox won the raffle the other night!" Ted chuckled while his eyes focused on Judy. He had not once glanced at Nick. Nick had noticed.

Judy was surprised and it showed. "What? You did? How is that even possible? I won, too! How did we both win if we got in our tickets at the same time?"

Ted smile deepened and he inched his face closer to Judy, "I hear that our tickets were stuck together somehow so the other won by default, I guess."

Nick mumbled under his breath but loud enough to be heard, "How very lucky of you two."

Ted turned to Nick, "Maybe not luck. Maybe fate."

 _Oh, fudge. He just went there. What the hell?_

Ted finally recognized that Nick existed. Judy felt embarrassed for not having introduced them sooner. She turned to Ted, "Oh, yes, Ted – This is Nick, my partner. The officer I mentioned the other night." She then turned her attention to Nick, "Nick, this is Ted Strong, the owner of the Strong Luxury line of cars."

There was that flicker of something in Teds eyes that Judy noticed again when Ted looked at Nick. It was there then it wasn't. Maybe she was just imagining things.

Ted extended his paw and very enthusiastically greeted Nick, "Hello, Officer Wilde. Heard a lot of good things about you, bud. You are paving the way for all of us foxes."

Nick tentatively shook Ted's paw and was surprised at just how strong his shake was. Nick squeezed back even harder. Just like that, Nick had sized up his nemesis and decided that he hated him even more than before.

Judy saw the look on Nick's face and before he could say something that would make things uncomfortable for all of them, she was going to take control of the conversation.

Ted was too quick for her. "So, Ms. Hopps, looks like you and I are vacationing together this week. Who knows, a lot can happen in one week?"

 _Sweet cheese and crackers._


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N This chapter is late because life got the better of me. My apologies! I have to rescind my former goal of 'every Friday' posts...clearly.**

 **Thank you for continuing to read my incoherent rambling! I appreciate the kind words of encouragement from those who have left reviews. Feel free to continue doing so.**

 **Posted 9/12/16**

 **CHAPTER 6**

Sweet cheese and crackers, indeed.

Judy's eyes wide with a mixture of shock and embarrassment stared at the tall, dark fox smiling at her while Nick appeared to suddenly choke on nothing more than his saliva and air. Ted did not seem to notice or care about Nick's dramatic and _very obnoxious_ choking as his eyes and attention were focused solely on Judy. She instantly felt herself blush as his insinuation of them vacationing together made her feel admittedly flattered yet offended, which of those feelings weighed heavier she was not sure. She tore her eyes away from his to look around the brightly lit station for Clawhauser, whom she hoped would return so they could board the train and be done with this awkward encounter. It was _beyond_ awkward. Although the station appeared to be getting more crowded by the minute, she did spot Clawhauser but he was busy chatting away with the attendant and no amount of staring in his direction would mentally will him to return.

Nick's ruckus finally subsided and she didn't have to look at her partner's face to know that Nick was not happy. She had seen and heard enough of his disapprobation of the other fox since the night of the Gala to know that Nick clearly did not like Ted. She giddily allowed herself to believe that it was a dislike founded on pure jealousy. In the absence of any real proof she accepted it as simply his desire to protect her always, as a friend and as her partner. Was there even a reason for him to be jealous? Ted was very handsome, charming and charismatic, and obviously not afraid to show that he was interested in her, but could there be something there? Could she ever allow herself the possibility of opening herself up to, of all mammals, another _fox?_

In the seconds of silence that followed, her ears perked.

Judy unconsciously shuddered at the deep, creeping sensation which traveled up her spine, that same strange uneasy feeling that she had felt in Ted's presence on the night of the Gala. The difference this time was that instead of pushing away the sensation, she tried to focus on it to make sense of it. It wasn't so much as foreboding, but more of an intuition. Her intuition erred at times but for the most part she could depend on it. She considered Ted's posture, his manner of dress and speech, his smile -everything seemed all inviting, appealing, and alluring but his eyes at times gave away something darker and quite different from his warm appearance. It was precisely that 'different' that she could not pinpoint nor define.

Judy's present feelings ranged from embarrassment, to anxiety, to nervousness, to uneasiness, to confusion, to flattered, to charmed, and again to agitation and all the while trying to reason away the motive behind these contrasted feelings. A very plausible explanation struck her quite forcibly. She froze when she thought of it and almost hated herself for thinking it possible.

 _Could it be that this feeling of uneasiness is nothing more than my idiotic and unfounded former distrust of foxes? What if I am just doing the same horrible thing to Nick that I did to Nick when I first met him?_ She shivered again but this time due to her own unnerving thoughts. _Nick has done more than prove that foxes deserve to be seen as more than their stereotype. How could I be making the same mistake with Ted?_ She was unwilling to accept that her prejudice against foxes still persisted even after Nick being such an important part of her life but could not doubt at the possibility of it. Why _else_ would she be so hesitant with Ted? This new thought shamed her and in that moment, she decided to keep her mind open and to drown out any perceived intuitive sensations where it related to Ted. After all, Ted appeared to be a genuinely good sort of mammal and who was _she_ to think that he wasn't? Her being an officer demanded her to give him the benefit of the doubt, innocent until proven guilty. She would abide by this. Besides, she had to admit that his boldness towards her, although unsolicited, was just a tad attractive.

The scattered rapidity of these thoughts all transpired in no more than six or seven seconds and in that time, she had given no hints to the others as what was going through her head. She remained calm. The dark fox continued smiling at her and although she could not immediately shake that nagging intuitive feeling, she would not give into its fears. She resolved on being amiable towards him and if that meant spending _some_ time with him while on vacation, so be it.

Nick managed to collect himself with reasonable composure and he rigidly moved closer to Judy. So close in fact that she could feel the warmth of his arm on hers and could discern his smooth and soft fur on hers. He took an authoritative stance and stared venomously at Ted. If looks could kill, Ted would have been dead ten times over. Nick's fervent stares seemed in vain as Ted was none the wiser and his determined yet affable expression did not waiver for one single second.

Judy, having resolved against making herself appear uneasy or even cold to Ted, tried to regain some of her usual cheerfulness. She spoke with a little trepidation laced with a tinge of guilt, "It's a big island. I might bump into you once or twice but doubtful that we get stuck together for too much time. I'm sure you and your travel companion will have lots to explore once we get there!" Ted had momentarily drifted his eyes away from the gray bunny before him to mindlessly look around the station and out to the movement of busied mammals passing them by. He had even taken a bit more casual air, placing one paw in his pant pockets. Struck with Judy's words, he merely smirked and turned his attention back to her.

Nick seemed to relax momentarily recollecting that Ted must be traveling in the company of someone, and that someone would most likely be a very attractive female. He may have even let out a breath which he had not known that he was holding. The thought of cocky, rich, smug, fancy-pants _Ted_ being by Judy's side during the whole of their vacation made more of a sour impression that Nick would have liked to admit to. Ted being with someone else and only being able to occasionally be near Judy made him less agitated.

Ted's next words put both Judy and Nick into a pitiful state, each for their own reasons. "Travel companion? I am traveling alone. I _have_ found that there's so much more freedom in traveling alone…" he paused and chuckled a bit before continuing, "Besides, who would I have brought? I have many acquaintances, Ms. Hopps, but I can't say that I enjoy the company of many sincere friends."

Nick responded before she could stop him. "No good friends, huh? I wonder if your acquaintances know something that you don't." He paused and considered Ted for a moment and asked with a raised eyebrow, _"Teddy,_ I can call you Teddy right?" he didn't bother waiting for a response before continuing, "What's a fancy schmancy rich dude like yourself doing on a free trip? Couldn't bare the thought of someone less financially blessed as _you_ going on a free vacation?" Nick stood upright and brought his arms across his chest. Even completely upright he stood a good inch or possibly two shorter than his fox counterpart. Nick was more physically fit and his muscles more pronounced and toned, a bonus addition since his joining the force but Ted was by no means far behind. _His_ athletic figure was by choice and dedication to the gym.

Ted didn't bat an eye. He considered the question and thoughtfully considered Nick as well. His carefree demeanor did not change but he shifted his weight a bit. He looked to Judy and shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "You _do_ have a point there, Nicky. I can call you _Nicky,_ right? I could pay for this trip on my own. In a way, I did I suppose. I don't know if you were aware of who donated the grand prizes but I will let you in on a little secret...it was Strong Luxury Vehicles. I am fortunate in my own situation and as long as I am able to, I want to give back to the community." Here he appeared a bit more solemn, as if the words held more meaning.

 _There it is. He is a good guy. There's no reason I should feel so anxious around him._

Nick did not see this generous act in quite so good a light as Judy apparently did. He looked incredulous and pointedly asked, "So, you bought a raffle ticket to your own charity donation?" Nick wanted and rather expected a visible reaction from Ted but was disappointed. There was no shame, no guilt, no odd look.

"Well, I guess the answer would be yes. See, I have only been involved with the charity organization for a few years but in all honesty, it's what I am most proud of. When they pulled my name as a winner, I initially passed up the trip. The Foundation called the next winner but that mammal could not go and instead opted for cash consideration. So, I was called once again and here I am. So, you see, I technically did pay for the trip….and Ms. Hopps'…." Here, he glimpsed at Judy knowingly.

Judy blushed again slightly. She realized at that moment that she had never told Nick that it was Ted who had paid for her raffle ticket. Why did she have to? Until the moment that she had won, the raffle ticket was far out of her mind. No occasion would have brought up the subject and even after she learned of her good fortune, why would it ever need to be known that Ted had forked up five whole dollars for her? It just wasn't necessary. Besides, he was not supposed to be here. He was not supposed to be going on vacation with her, Nick should have been.

 _Stupid five dollars._

Nick looked a bit puzzled but did not have enough time to question. Ted continued, "When I bought mine and Judy's raffle tickets, I had no idea that things would turn out _so…perfectly."_

To Nick's credit, he chose not to focus on Judy's slight omission of information but rather on the possible relief that Ted's own words had suggested.

"So, your runner-up chose cash instead of the trip? Can Judy take the cash option now? And not go?" Nick asked dryly, earning him a stern look from Judy.

Ted was on the point of responding but was cut short by the boisterous appeal of a rather large and appalled cheetah practically slamming into them. "Did Nick just say that we are not going on this trip? Judy, tell me it isn't true!" He began hyperventilating at the thought. He forcibly squeezed himself in between Nick and Judy facing the taller vulpine but in his agitated state, he did not notice him.

"Benjamin, well…no. I wasn't planning on it. I just didn't know that I had to option of _not_ going...the money would be nice though..." Judy delicately tried to explain the situation to her sensitive friend, trying to choose her words carefully to avoid him getting even more agitated. Her success was questionable.

The cheetah gasped. "Judy! No! Please, please, _please,_ you can't do this to me. I _have_ to be there this weekend. I have to! I heard that Gizelle might be filming a music video on the island _this weekend_! I will die a slow, painful, sorrowful death if we don't go! If that's what you want, me dying of a broken heart, then by all means, let's just turn around and go home now. But if you are the friend that you say that you are..." He placed his paw over his heart as he pleaded to Judy.

She admitted to herself that the money did sound _very_ appealing but upon seeing Clawhauser's reaction, she immediately decided against it. She could not face Clawhauser ever again if she cancelled the trip this late in the game. If there was any truth of dying of a broken heart, she truly believed that Clawhauser could and would do so if she turned back now. Judy sympathetically patted the big cheetah on his paw and assured him, "No, Benjamin. OK? I am not cancelling. We were just discussing the possibility of not going. But we _are_ going. Don't worry, if Gazelle is there, we'll do whatever it takes to see her!" Her soothing voice finally calmed him and he believed her.

He very quickly recuperated from his near panic attack. It was after he calmed down and finally looked away from the grey bunny at his side that he registered his surroundings. He saw Nick's locked jaw. Benjamin grinned at Nick, "Don't worry, Nick. We won't get in too much trouble, I promise. Plus, even if we did your little bunny can take care of herself!" He giggled heartily and nudged his fellow officer in the shoulder. Nick only mumbled something under his breath and kept his stare locked in front of him.

Benjamin then followed Nick's eyes to the fox standing a few feet in ahead of him. Clawhauser was never one to measure his emotions or his words so it came as no surprise to either Nick or Judy the enthusiastic greetings that followed.

"Well, hello there, Mr. Cutie Pie! How rude of me, jabbering away and here you are, just waiting for me to stop. You must be one of Nick's friends! I am Officer Benjamin Clawhauser, nice to meet you!" He vigorously shook the fox's paw. When he finished, looking to Nick, "Nick! You never mentioned having a body double. You two could be handsome twinsies!"

Nick reacted angrily, "Nope, Benjie, he is not one of my friends and we look nothing alike…"

Nick's 'body double' was a bit more tactful in his response. "Officer Clawhauser, nice to meet you. I do recall having seen you a few times at the Gala recently. My name is Ted Strong and I am merely an acquaintance of Officers Hopps and Wilde. Any resemblance to Officer Wilde is pure coincidence, I assure you."

It hurt Judy to see how little effort Nick was putting forward. His lack of civility only showcased Teds that much more.

Clawhauser shrieked dramatically. "Strong? Your name is _Mr. Strong_? Ohhh, how interesting. I am standing next to Mr. Wilde and in front of Mr. Strong…." He jokingly looked around the train station, "You wouldn't happen to know _Mr. Right_ , would you? " He playfully winked at Judy and giggled yet again. He did not see or notice Judy's embarrassed expression.

What he did see was Nick's hardened face. He clarified guiltily, "For me, of course. I don't think Judy has a problem in that department." He winked at Nick as if they were the only ones privy to some big secret. Nick shook his head slowly in response and impatiently rolled his eyes. Only Clawhauser could get away with half as much.

Ted merely laughed. "No one that has ever seen Ms. Hopps could suppose that she has a problem in that department."

In that moment, she had all eyes on her. Clawhauser raised his eyebrows suggestively at her, Nick looked a mix of anger and regret, and Ted looked confident. Judy felt the effect of such praise but still shrunk from it.

Judy needed to get a handle of this situation. Even though every single part of her loved seeing Nick squirm a little with Ted around, she could not help but feel silly. Again, it was her selfish vanity that rejoiced in the thought of Nick feeling jealous but she should know better than to get her hopes up.

Nick was not jealous. He was protective. He did not trust Ted and his behavior was only that of a concerned partner. They were going to be away from each other for the longest amount of time since becoming partners, so it was only natural for him to feel anxiety over her being so near a mammal that he did not like. It was not only natural but should be expected. She wondered though, at Nick's acting as if she were a damsel in distress and not able to take care of herself. Had she not proven to him time and time again that she was no mere bunny? How could he ever doubt that she couldn't handle any troubles by herself?

Her silent reverie was interrupted when the speakers of the station boomed to life as a voice announced that it was now time for boarding.

Zootopia's monorail system had no assigned seats because you simply paid for the pass to get on. This train was slightly different because they were traveling far outside of the city limits and required special boarding passes. There was first class and regular class, the difference of which could cost a few hundred dollars per ticket. Judy's and Benjamin's tickets were for regular class and they had to wait for first class to board before they did. This would take another 10 to 15 minutes.

 _Wow, this is it. Vacation, here I come. Too bad that Nick can't come with me. I would have such a better time with him._

She was more than glad when upon looking at her partner, she saw his slick and half grinned smile on her. Gone was tense and angry Nick. She instinctively felt playful.

She bumped him against the shoulder with hers. "You are going to miss me, Nicholas Wilde."

He rolled his eyes in feigned frustration. "Is it possible to miss a pain in your ass? I don't think so. Plus, from where I see things, it looks like I am the one with the better deal here. Sure, you have beaches and sunshine and free stuff...but I have no annoying bunny at work or at home."

Smack in the arm.

"I am kidding. But... Carrots, in order for me to feel happy about you leaving me all alone, I fully expect you to be sad the entire time without me. You have to promise me that you will not smile at anyone, you will pretend not to speak English to avoid having any sort of conversation, etc. Oh, and you have to promise to call or FurrTime at _least_ once a day. You know that I get cranky when I don't get my daily dose of bunny time. That and I will need to gloat when I solve our case. Just know that Zootopia will be as safe as ever, even without its beloved Officer Bunny around." Here, he grinned. He was teasing her right back.

The partners for a brief moment had all but forgotten about the cheetah and fox standing close to them when Ted chimed in, "Oh, how exciting. You must work all sorts of interesting cases." He directed his comment to Judy but his attention was almost immediately lost. He looked down at his watch then began scanning the station, as if looking for someone in particular.

Now this was a topic that would supply a fine source of conversation because Judy loved talking about her pride and passion -her job. Had she noticed Ted's wondering eyes, she might have been a bit suspicious. But she did not. "Every day is something different. Some days you get interesting cases. Other days, not so much. Right now, we have one of those tricky ones..." Judy looked to Nick with a look of frustration and shrugged her shoulders.

He added, "Tricky ones, but not anything that we can't solve. No matter how much some criminals think that they are better than us, we always get them. Isn't that right, Fluff?" She nodded her head eagerly in acquiesce. "This guy won't be free for much longer. He was lucky for the last year that you and I weren't working the case. Now, he should start feeling the pressure. My plan is to have him locked up and in his cell before you get back. I will only prove that I am the smarter officer of this duo."

Judy rolled her eyes but this conversation had seemed to interest Ted and he seemed to be once again focused on them and not in the movement around the station. "What type of case is it?" he asked almost eagerly but then measuring his tone, "Of course, if I can ask and I am not overstepping any privacy issues."

Nick probably would have given most of the details, one or two details short of the whole case files, if it had been any other mammal. Ted was not 'any other mammal'. He was almost too happy to reply, "You _are_ overstepping, Teddy."

Benjamin chimed in, "I don't get even get to know what happens in most cases. I don't mind though." He really didn't. He had worked on the force for almost 8 years and not once asked to be reassigned or given any cases. He was perfectly content greeting all of the faces go through the precinct doors.

Ted burrowed his brow. He did not seem to be satisfied with this answer but would not pry. "I understand. Having the weight of the city's safety on your shoulder must be a heavy one." His voice was sympathetic yet tinged with a bit of resentment. "I don't know anything about your case, but I can guarantee that whoever it is that you're looking for sleeps a little less knowing that you two are now working the case." Here, his attention once again drifted to his watch and to the surrounding movement of the station.

His eyes seemed to lock in on a mammal approaching them in a hurried manner. Judy once again did not notice and had only said, "I hope so, I hope he can't get not one second of rest. Nick and I will have him in no time at all." She energetically pumped her fist resolutely as if to solidify her resolve.

Benjamin enthusiastically nodded his head in agreement. "Depend on it. If these two miracle workers are on it, that poor fellow doesn't stand a chance. Is it bad of me to almost feel bad for the guy?" Judy put her hand to her hip and shook her head in disapproval. Benjamin quickly added, "I said almost. _Almost_ feel bad for him."

They were interrupted by the appearance of a small, round and portly pig. The same mammal who seconds earlier had been approaching the small group with quickened steps. He nodded to everyone in general but extended his hoof to Ted and handed him an envelope before briskly walking away, with not so much as a word.

Everyone looked curiously after the portly animal as he hurried away then back to Ted who, satisfied, turned back to the group without acknowledging the brief interruption. He did not open the envelope, simply kept it in his paw knowingly.

 _Must be work related. He is an important mammal, owner of a big company, of course he has business to attend to right before he goes on vacation._

Clawhauser's thoughts were along the same lines and gave Judy a look which to her screamed "check this guy out, he must be loaded.'.

The speakers again boomed reminding the first class passengers to board. Ted looked around and smiled widely. He brought the envelope up in the air and firmly stated, "That's us. It's time to go ladies and gentleman." Everyone but he looked confused and this made Ted chuckle out loud. "You all should see your faces."

Judy spoke up first, "It's not second class yet, Ted. That was just a reminder for first class. We still have another 10 minutes...at least." Judy huffed impatiently although she was anything but. Ten more minutes was ten more minutes of Nick's company. Ten more minutes of mentally preparing herself for over a week of no work, no routine, etc.

Ted, who had not put the envelope down, did so now only to open it. He delicately pulled out three half page documents with a deep red stamp seal on each marked 'UPGRADED'.

Ted shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "Well, I figured if this is a much needed vacation for all of us, why not make it the complete package? I hope you don't mind but I upgraded our seats to First Class."

Reliable Clawhauser did not disappoint Ted's intended reaction. He all but snatched the passes out Ted's paw. He brought them close to his face and inhaled as deeply as he could. The large cheetah giggled with delight, his eyes bright with excitement.

Judy looked surprised and uneasy. Ted tried to assuage her by explaining, "Just so you know, The Foundation did not pay for this. They are not having to fork out one cent for this. Honestly, I hope you don't mind. The upgrades were nothing for me, really. Try not to think about it, Ms. Hopps. Just try to have a good time and sip on some wine to calm your nerves."

Hearing that the Foundation had not been burdened by any additional expense on her account, Judy warmed to the idea. Besides, how could she ever convince Clawhauser on passing on this? She couldn't and she was well aware of it. _First class? Hmm...why not?_ She sheepishly smiled at him, looking over to her partner. _Nick. That's why. Nick looks absolutely horrified._

In truth, Nick was horrified. The thought that this piece of... _work_ could just wave his hand and get things done was a bit intimidating. They way Judy had so easily been swayed was unnerving. If this guy's charm and money could affect her this quickly, what would a whole vacation do? Nick's demeanor and countenance changed in that moment. His combative and sarcastic self felt defeated. Nick smiled affectionately at Judy because that's what she wanted to see from him. He knew better than to argue with Ted or her right now. She would leave with Ted, in first class no less, and she would leave him alone for over a week. He sighed and placed his paws in his pockets.

Perhaps Judy was too eager to take Nick at face value and perhaps she was too quick to suppose that he had smiled at her in approbation. She did not see the defeat and melancholy solitude in that smile.

Believing herself to have his consent, she abruptly turned to the cheetah. "Well, Benjamin, I think they're calling us." For one second, she felt as giddy as Clawhauser.

That second came and went. The thought of so many days without Nick around. So many days to enjoy the most wonderful vacation, _but without Nick_. She pulled him into a quick and tender hug and he even pulled his arms around her in return. If Judy didn't know any better, she could have sworn she heard him sigh. They awkwardly separated and he playfully pushed her toward the boarding area, "Hurry up, Carrots. The sooner you leave, the sooner my vacation from you starts." He flashed one of her side grins, his eyes half lidded.

That grin quickly faded the second that Ted stood before him. "Well, Nicky. The city rests in your very capable paws. Your partner rests in capable paws as well." He winked at Nick and walked past him and behind the bunny towards the boarding area.

Clawhauser stood seconds behind Ted, eyeing Nick and Ted curiously. An authentic look of concern slowly spread over his face, overtaking the childish silly look he wore only moments before. "Everything ok, Nick? If it's Judy you're worried about, she can take care of herself, you know that right?" He paused waiting for a response but only received a lazy nod of the head. "What other stuff that you might be worried about, don't be..." He was interrupted by the bunny shouting to him to hurry up. He patted Nick on the shoulder as he hurriedly walked to catch up.

* * *

 **July 23rd**

Judy woke in a sea of pillows with the warm and glowing rays of sunshine kissing her face. It was a delicious sensation and she rolled on the bed, spreading her arms and bringing the light sheets tight against her body. She buried her face into the cool pillow. _I could get used to this life._

Her eyes peered open and soaked in the bright light surrounding her sky blue room. She could hear the gentle crash of the waves against the beach just outside of her window which was half open. The window curtain lifted and fell with every breeze that drafted throughout the room. Her gaze drifted from the window back into her suite, from the comfy chairs at the foot of her bed to the door leading out into the living area and kitchen space. This was a far cry from the standard double bed that she had imagined that she would be staying in. In true Ted fashion, upon seeing their accommodations, he insisted on switching from the standard rooms to the luxury suites at the hotel. She was almost embarrassed to accept but once she saw the suite, there was no denying that this would be a hundred times better than the alternative. She gave in and at this moment was happy for it. The only downside was that her suite was right next door to Ted's. Of course, Benjamin was on her other side but knowing that Ted was so close to her sleeping quarters felt odd for some reason.

She looked at her clock and it read 9:15AM. She almost laughed out loud. This was the latest that she had woken up in years. Somehow, she felt not once ounce of guilt or regret. This was vacation after all, a time where she was supposed to let loose. If it had not been for the immediate need to use the restroom, she would have cuddled even more into the bedding and possibly laid soaking in the sounds for another half an hour. But nature called and she rushed to the restroom where she caught a glimpse of her reflection. Her white t-shirt hung loosely over her small frame and her disheveled fur combined to give her an appearance of a tired and worn bunny. She felt very different to what she appeared. She felt energized and anything but tired. She had been on the island for less than one day but the scenery could cure anyone of any sort of illness or mental state. The luscious greens of the trees, the sparkling blues of the water, everything was beautiful. She sighed in delight as she stepped back into her room but froze in near terror when she heard a light tapping on her room door.

It was either Clawhauser or Ted. She mentally prepared herself for either when she peaked through the keyhole. She sighed in relief and opened the door to allow room service to enter her room and set up breakfast but then recalled that she had not ordered any. "Oh! I think you might have the wrong room. I haven't ordered anything." She said shyly as the serious faced wolf stepped past her and into the dining area, slowly pushing the cart of delicious treats with him. He paused for a brief moment to pull out a small notebook from his blazer pocket. "This is room 3010. This is your breakfast. It was ordered and paid for by Room 3010. Enjoy." He bowed slightly and retreated from her suite without a further word.

 _Room 3010... Ted. This is very kind of him. Wait, what does this card say?_ Judy pulled a small handwritten note from the small arrangement of flowers at the center of her display. "Either you are dead or too hungry to get out of bed. I am hoping the latter. Eat up and I will see you later. Don't make plans for dinner. I want to show you something. -Ted S." Judy felt herself blush. The lavish spread of fruits and vegetables before her made her conscious of her scrubby appearance. Before she could sit down to eat, she changed into shorts and another t-shirt. _Hey, at least I'm not in my PJ's anymore._

She had not put the first forkful into her mouth when there was another knock at her door, louder and more fervent that the earlier one. "It's me, Judy! Open up! You will never guess what I just got!" Benjamin's eyes grew wide with excitement as he saw her buffet styled breakfast setup. "You got breakfast, too! But I got the short straw though. Mine was nowhere near as good and fancy as yours." He plopped onto the chair in front of Judy's plate, not caring that the chair was not meant for his size and weight and almost buckled under him. He popped a grape into his mouth and moaned in delight. "This is the life, Judy. This is the life..."

Judy laughed at her friend and smiled in agreement. "So, what was it that you got this morning? Something that you are excited about, obviously." She placed a strawberry in her mouth as Benjamin remembered the reason for his visit.

"Oh yeah! I got a call from a certain fox friend of ours this morning. He told me that he's been trying to reach you but your phone's been off since yesterday. He sounded worried, Judy." He grabbed some more grapes and popped them in his mouth.

"My phone!" Judy practically yelled. "Oh my goodness, Benj. My phone! I completely forgot to charge my phone yesterday afternoon!" Judy jumped up from her seat and ran towards her bedroom. She came back to where Clawhauser was, phone and charger in hand. She tried to power it on but it refused to oblige, its screen remaining black in her paw. "I gave him my room number when I talked to him before dinner yesterday. He could have dialed my room." Judy said fumbling with the charger cable.

Benjamin stopped chewing and gave Judy a look of pained embarrassment. "Well, he says that he did dial your room last night when you weren't picking up your cell..." The cheetah paused and looked around the room for something to focus on, other than his friend's face.

Judy did not catch any of this. She was too frustrated with the tangled charger cable. "Ok, so? I must have been in the restroom. He should have tried again..."

Clawhauser looked up to meet his friend's eyes. "He said that he didn't want to _disturb_ you..." Emphasis on disturb, she could almost visualize the quotation marks around the word.

"Disturb me? From what? Sleeping? Sure, I was tired but not too tired to talk to him."

Clawhauser stumbled for words and had the same pained embarrassed expression. "Well, so, see...he told me that he called you twice last night and again early this morning and that Ted answered each time so he assumed that you were, well...busy..."

"What?" Judy yelled even louder than before. "What?" She repeated as she received no response from her friend.

TBC


End file.
